The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-14
POLICE ET(KIH(S.
Observation-Disclosures

Johnny Armstrong who drives the pa
troll wagon of the police department, has
had a great deal of experience in the
wilds of Utah. He was relating some of
police station last evening. Il will never
for--et an experience | had with a bear
marked Armstrong Il was riding through
some very heavy timber one day and lost
my wa-. i wandered about for several
hours. and when dusk came on / struck a
little clearing and decided to camp for the
night.
1T was pretty little spot, covered with
a carpet OF nice green grass and sur
rounded by dense forest of pines. But
il was wild and 1 did not relish the idea
of staying there by myself, even though
II was a pretty spot. Nevertheless. there
was nothing to do but to stay. so ! I'M
saddled and tied my horse to a tree near
where l was to sleep | built fire and
cooked some bacon. a few SDudS and Il
cup of hot coffee and sat down to eat 1t.
1t MIST have been the odor of the
cooking that attracted the visitor. who
soon made his appearance but certain il
is that big brown bear came sauntering
along toward camp with his nose in the
air as II he scented something good 1
had a rifle with me, but at the sight of
bruin at such close quarters I forgot all
about 1t and sought safety in flight. There
was nice little Quaking asp standing
near. and l lost no time IN climbing far
up among its protecting branches, tearing
my shirt off on the way up.
i cont know whether the tree Quaked
more than j. but | was shaking so badly
when L reached a safe place in the
branches that l almost shook myself out
OF the tree. 1t was cold. too. and ! had
only one sleeve of my shirt left. the other
was hanging TO piece of a branch about
ten feet below me. | could see the bear,
as II vas moonlight. calmly walk IN to
where ! was sitting a few seconds before
and help himself TO my supper. Then he
tore open my saddle bags and filed him
self up with all the grub l had.
DOVartPSs do anVf hing
astrtde o. a limb waiting for Mr.. Bruin
TO leave the vicinity. But he did not seem
Sls-lossu 20 Ieave. Ever now and then
he glanced I'D into the tree and licked his
cho-s when he saw me, as though he
would ike 10 try me for dessert. He
stayed there until dawn was just break
ip-. when he gathered himself together
and walked slowly away.
He was no sooner out of sight than I
got down from the tree in the best man
ner possible, my legs being stiff and 1
was nearly frozen. Selling my saddle [
threw it on the horse and had it fastened
in place in no time. L was determined to
let away before he returned with re-
Inducements. so after putting on the
bride i dug my spurs in the horse and
made gallant dash for freedom. We
went like the wind for about 80 feet. when
the horse went head over heels throwing
me about 30 feet further. l had forgotten
TO unite the horse in my hurry to get
away, and when the animal came to the
end of his rope he turned a somersault''
In after years l became more accus-
toned to bears and hunted them without
fear. l hunted them by 'heeing as we
called il. / had an old yellow dog that
was the best heller in the country, and
l killed several beers over MIN. All had
to co was to start him on the trail of a
bear and off he would go on a run. When
he caught sight of the bear he began to
ho"i so that ! could find him. He was
a very active dog and could run faster
thar a bear, and when he caught sight
of the bear he ran up and bit bruin on
the heel.
THE bear would naturally turn on the
dog. but he had no trouble to dodge out
of his way. the bear being too clumsy TO
turn quickly. The dog kept this up until
the bear was forced to sit down in order
to protect his heels. and I would come up
and make an ecd of him. This was all
ri~ht for a while. but one day the dog
COS more than ne bargained for. He
started out on trail. and / heard him
ho--l and knew that he had caught the
bear brit vas surprised 10 find that he
crit so soon. When l reached the spot
| found the body Of my dog scattered all
about the neighborhOod and saw &
wounded mountain lion walking Off with
o-e of the dogs legs. The lion was too
cuick for him.