The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-09
DARING CAPTURE OF A GRIZZLY.
New Mexican Cowboys Use Their
LassOs In Clever Manner.
From the Plttsburg DispateI

run the I"ANNSUuiE llSDdlCD.
Visiting the ranch of my friend Beck
with in the Vaca valley, west of the Mon
gollons. last week, / started out alone one
morning to climb the Mesa de la Vaca,
about Ave miles from the home ranch"
writes ]. c. Chalmers, New York man,
who for several years past has resided in
Colorado and New Mexico. This mesa
or table land rises from the valley to a
hight of 100 feet. It's sides slope very
steepy all around and the level top
should estimate at 800 acres in extent
decided not to try to ride up the slope, so
picketed my horse in the valley and start
ed up on foot, 1t was steep climbing.
though not otherwise a difficult path
merely smooth, grassy rising at an angle
perhaps so degrees. l found by the time
that / got to the top that the lifting of
my 40 pounds weight to a hight of 100
feet, in the rarefed air of New Mexico
was all l wanted for one morning. When
at last l got TO the top was glad enough
to sit down; and lucky il was for me that
| sat there until l got thoroughly rested.
for needed all my wind and endurance a
few minutes later.
Having sufficiently admired the view on
the side which l had ascended-a grand
outlook 1t was of mountain, plain and val
ley extending to distance of a hundred
miles-I started to cross the top of the
mesa TO find what was to be seen on the
other side. Midway on the top WITS The
beginning of a ravlne, which deepened
toward the edge of the mesa until it OPEN
ed as a chasm In the side. 1 had got half
way to the head of this ravlne, intending
TO walk around it, when I saw something
big and gray and shaggy moving up the
hollow; a moment later Ii emerged into
sight as a grizzly bear. Whether the brute
had heard me coming and was advancing
to meet me or the encounter was purely
accidental, cannot tell; but what ne did
on perceiving me was to turn and come
up like flash to the level of the ground
facing me. There he paused, cycling me,
his hair bristling until he looked twice as
big as at first and the loud snaring growl
that he gave made shivers run up aud
down my back.
Except %-caliber revolver / was with
out weapon-and a grizzly bear would
never distinguish the difference between
S2-caliber bullets and peas / would nave
turned and run, but l was afraid that 10
do so would inspire the bear to take after
me. What actually did was to stand sthl
and watch the bear. hoping very earnestly
that, seeing me stand my ground he would
turn tail and go back down the raVue
But he was in bad temper. He growled
again and took step toward me; then a
louder growl, and another step, and tHen
as began to back away In the effort to
keep the distance good between us, the
bear showed his teeth and came for me on
the run, making surprising speed for so
clumsy a looking animal.
"Of course I turned and ran for IL I
was counted good runner at college, and
am about as swift for a short dash as
was then; but II there had been so yards
more between me and the edge of the mesa
the bear would surely have got me. As it
was, l got to the brink 20 yards ahead
and down the slope l went reaching for
distance and not caring where or how l
brought up so long as l kept away from
the bear. could hear him behind me. and
the stones he dislodged came rolling down
the hillside after me; but a bear, owing
to the length of his hind quarters, is not
good at sprinting down hill, and did not
think he could overhaul me before we got
to the bottom. There was another hope
for I caught glimpse Of horsemen down
in the valley riding toward the foot of the
mesa, and / saw that they were lifting
their lassos from the horns Of their sad
dies. They were waiting for me at the bot
tom when / got there, and / ran between
two of them out into the valley, where l
sank down painting for breath.
Before | could stop and turn around for
/ came to the bottom of the slope under
terrific Roadway. the shouts of the men
and the angry snarling of the bear told
me that business was going on benind me
There were three cowboys-two Mexican
vaqueros and Texan--and they were las
soing the grizzly.
"One moose had fallen about the bears
neck and the trained horse of the rider
who had thrown the rope had drawn it
tight by instantly backing away. AS the
bear, rising on his launches, tried to claw
the moose from his shoulders, another lasso
caught one foreleg. Then, dropping upon
all fours, the bear made a rush for the
nearest horseman. but the two lassos,
drawing opposite ways held him fast and
tripped him. A third moose caught the
bears hind leg, and by dexterous maneu-
vering ON the part of the cowboys, he was
thrown on his back, whereupon one OF
them, dismounting. wound the bear round
and round with his rope, tielng his legs
together so that the Great ure lay helpless.
'Then the cowboys held council of war
as TO whether to keep the bear alive or kill
him then and there. They finally settled
the matter by cutting his throat and taxi
ing off the skin, for which latter l gave
them SO The bear was large one--they
estimated his weight at 700 pounds-and the
fur was unusually thick and fine"