Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
BULL AND GRIZZLY
A Meeting of Monarchs of the Field and
Forest.
Terrible Fight to the Death Awe
some Spectacle Watched by .
Man Up n Tree.


Some years ago, as agent of a big firm
of cattle SPECTATORS said a well-known
Pennsyfvanian. Il spent a good deal of
time in the great northwest. One day, hav--
ing time on my hands, thought / would
get rid of it pleasantly by a trouting trip
to stream that lay few miles south
from our camp. The weather had been hot
and dry for some time, and when I got
over to the river 1 found the headwaters
We're not much better than dry land, all
the moisture 1 could find being little pud-
dies here and there in the bed So con-
cluded the best thing for me to do would
be to march right back to camp. There
was a heavy thicket along the north bank
OF the stream some distance above where I
came out on the dry bed, and few cotton
wood trees were standing maybe hundred
yards back from the bank. AS 1 turned to
retrace my steps l saw a small herd of
Wild cattle standing off to my right. Among
them was young bull, splendid specimen
OF his kind He and the rest of the cattle
We're ey1ng me with suspicious curiosity.
l didn't like the appearance of the bull
1or ne mad a way of lowering his head.
throwing dirt with his fore feet and utter
ing an ominous sort of below that seemed
threatening. / turned and walked away
moving toward the cottonwood trees
CHANGING back over my shoulder l saw the
bull coming along after me. 1 increased
my speed and so did he, until l was rum
ming my fastest and the bull was doing his
pest behind me. l can't say exactly how
1t was done, but it wasn't MANY seconds
before l found myself in one of the cot
tonwood trees, out of reach of the bull,
who was Immediately under the tree, paw
ing dirt and acting as if very mad.
Diverted the Bulls Attention.
The bull paved and grumbled a few
minutes and then turned and walked
toward the thicket, on the creek side of
which there was water hole. The other
cattle went on quietly grazing where l had
first seen them. l suppose the bull started
toward the thicket to get a drink at the
water hole, but he never got the drink 1
saw him push his way into the thcket,
and the next instant | could see that he
had got into trouble of some kind and
that trouble proved to be a grizzly bear.
a fierce struggle followed in the thicket
The tops of the bushes swayed to and fro,
and could hear the heavy crash of drift
wood as the two powerful animals fought.
A cloud of dust rolled UP from the spot.
1t was not distant over 100 yards from the
tree in which had taken refuge. Scarcely
two minutes elapsed before the bull broke
through the bushes. His head was covered
with blood and great flakes of flesh hung
from his fore shoulders. But instead of
showing any signs of defeat, he seemed
literally to glow with defiant rage. In
stinct had simply prompted him in his re-
treat to seek an open space. He was 1.-THE
and Wiry, yet wonderfully massive about
the shoulders, combining the finest quail
ties of strength and symmetry. For a mo-
ment he stood glazing at the bushes he had
retreated from, his nostrils distended and
his whole form fixed and rigid. But scarce
~ had L time to note all this when the
bear, huge, repulsive-looking brute. broke
through the bushes into the opening He
was the most formidable specimen of his
kind L had ever seen, and my sympathies
were at once with the bull. in spite of his
belligerent attitude toward me a few min
UteS before.
When the bear made his appearance out
of the thicket the bull did not wait for his
charge, but, lowering his great head to the
ground, rushed madly upon the bear. The
latter seemed to appreciate the abilities of
the bull, and summoned all the wariness of
his nature to his aid. He waited until the
bull was almost upon him, and then
sprang aside with marvellous quickness,
seized his asSailant's horns IN his powerful
grasp, and pressed the bulls head down
against the ground by mis- great strength
and the weight of his enormous body. bit
ing the bulls nose and tearing the flesh
from his cheek and shoulders with his long,
sharp claws.
Cessation in the struggle.
Presently both animals paused in their
desperate struggle, but the bear did not
relax the hold he had obtained on the
bull. The cessation in the struggle had
probably been of ten minutes duration
when suddenly the bull made one desper-
ate lunge broke the embrace of the griz-
ely, hurled the bear from off his head and
backed away some ten PAGES. The bear
lifted his huge head and stood ready for
the next assault. The herd of cattle had
by this time gathered in from the plain
and surrounded the combatants mooing
and believing and paving up the ground,
and maintaining terrified neutrality. The
pull dld not remain at rest a moment after
backing away for a new charge but, rem
dered furious by his wounds he gathered
all his energies and, with resounding bel
low, rushed with impetuous force and fero-
city upon the bear. The latter attempted
to use the tactics that had served him so
well at the first onslaught, but the second
charge of the bull was irresistible, in spite
of the bears terrific blows with his paws,
and the grizzly went down in the dust be-
fore his crazed antagonist, and vainly tried
to defend himself The bull thrust his
horns under the bear, caught him in the
belly with one of the sharp weapons and
with one furious sweep of his head, ripped
a great cash in the griZzy's under side
The grizzly rose to his feet and with
howl closed with his foe, and for a long
time the two fought.
While the fight was goins on two eagles
appeared from some mysterious eyry and
sailed and circled above the scene of the
conflict leisurely and gradually dropping
nearer to the earth. Almost muIIaneously
with the appearance of the eagles | saw
the heads of half a dozen hungry wolves
emerge from the bushes where the fight
had begun. 1 knew that the battle must
soon end and that the eagles and the
wolves had scented the contest from affair."
|, and knew by their infallibe instinct that
it must result in choice prey for them The
presence of these hungry birds and beasts
of prey added to the terror of the conflict.
The Ground Torn Up.
THE desperate struggle continued The
ground torn up and covered with
blood for many feet around Both animals
were grievously wounded. 1t was plain
that neither could hold out much longer
Manned and CORY, they fought with the
certainty of death, the bear rolling over
and over in the dust, vainiy trying to
avoid the fatal horns of his adversary and
the bull ripping, thrusting and tearing the
grizzly with irresistible ferocity. At last
as if determined to end the conflict the
bull drew back, lowered his head and made
a third terrific charge; but. blinded by the
streams of blood that poured down his
face, he missed his mark, stumbled and
rolled headlong on the ground In spite
of frightful injuries and great exhaustion
| the bear turned quickly and sprang upon
| his PROSTATE foe. He seemed to have been
| suddenly invigorated by this turn of the
| battle in his favor. With merciless sweeps
I