Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-02-16
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} Trappe1's Nerve }
( By coll NOAH PARKER. {
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ON the days when L was AloeAlns
+h5 Rocky Mountains and be-
alo aa # required a good many differ
SOIr ,';nds of nerve for a person to keep
e CIV T hmm Of life from going entirely
'n INV - 10 sav nothing of being comforta-
or, on7 haonv. One was the nerve of
p w.. ',-' Rail who made journey Of 120
o ,i1os with his upper jaw and part Of
IL Lt,' nose and cheek gone, half Of his
scalp torn off, one foot crushed and
mongled his right arm ffearfully lac
r6sTTS5 TfT and three ribs broken.
"I9sya Bell was a miner, prospector,
hrnter and trapper, we'll known in the
Wind River country, Wyoming. He
had partner who went by the name
If Arkansas Bill. [ never knew what
his real name was, but he was a good
one. The time l was in that region
Jesse and Arkansas Bill had been
nospecting, hunting and trapping
about the headwaters of Snake, Wind
and Green rivers for some time, and,
meeting with poor luck, had worked
down to the mouth of Horse Creek,
where they found great signs OF big
game and good fur. Following a herd
of antelope one day, the chase took
them eight miles toward high bluff,
around one edge of which the hunters
were cautiously creeping, Jesse in the
lead Turning a sharp corner of the
rock Jesse came face to face with 4
big she silver tip, a yearling cub and
two spring cubs. They We're not ten
feet away and they saw Jesse as soon
as he saw them. They were in hol-
low and the position and place Jesse
was in made it dangerous spot either
for al attack on the bears or for de-
fence against them if they should at
tack. Arkansas Bill had crept to his
companions side before Jesse could
warn him what was ahead of them.
Bill lost no time in getting back
around the corner. Jesse was backing
away for the same purpose, when the
old bear, her blood being up, made
rush for him. Jesse fired as quickly
as he could. The shot broke the bears
shoulder, but she came on more fero-
cous than ever. Jesse jumped one
side but the bear was too close to be
eyaded. and she caught him in the
side. Hunter and bear tumbled in
heap, the bear on top, at Arkansas
Bills feet. The bears jaws closed IN
IeSSc'S side. Fortunately her under
teeth struck a heavy leather bullet
opyin S1l1nor
his shoulder by strap, or her jaws
would have come together in Jesse's
side and torn half of it away. AS ii
was, three of his ribs were crushed as
If they had been pipestems. Jesse
managed to give the bear powerful
kick in the abdomen, and at the same
moment Arkansas Bill fired and lodged
bullet just back of her shoulder.
Paying no attention to Bill, the bear
turned her head and grabbed Jesse's
right foot, just below the ankle and
crushed it to pulp with one savage
oiIe, Not content with that, she bit
aud cneWed at the foot and leg and
N'e away the flesh at every bite.
'e>SIe all the While struggling to get
"'S revolver out of his belt. This at
last caused the bear to wheel about
"sdIA aud she made a grab for Jes
S"S heaa. Arkansas Bill had his gun
"Nued by this me-breech-loaders not
""","S got there yet-and sent another
juliet into the tough old silver tip.
lnS toppled her over, and Jessie rails
" himself partially to his feet and
sV' HIS revolver in his left hand. The
" quickly recovered herself and
a"CN Jessie blow with her paw on
A., "ead and face that knocked him
V"n again. He held onto his revolv-
p,t ""u sent bullet into her body.
III n'ot ne could shoot again the silve,
az, V'"eu his arm between her teeth
sbo,, 'GHened it entirely through. Bill
ST. Y",eu TO him to move his head. Jes-
IT, 1'u So At the instant he moved
IN s' 'tar snapped at it. Jessie Bell.
6ao IIsSvtoing this situation afterward,
Tia G, mat he could look right down
@s Tears throat.
IN, 1NahSaS Bill, who had been striy-
Ia set chance at the bear. placed
tss 11]ze Of his rifle at the silver
Saa s; "' and fired. She sprsng back.
to ho. A not take the trouble, though
&es Ts1 The hold of her jaws on Jes-
gea, , ,, ana face. but rasoed her
hs rDn evI0 over them, tearing away
oessS'rsS Jaw. part of his nose, one
behes I Ia piece of his scalp nine
bar fa mug and five wide. Then the
DEAD N n over against Arkansas Bill,
ta 5o nrF enormous weight carried
&less ~ with her. She fell across
sae + tir nuu pinned him down. # was
eosatb~ ts before Bill could get from
S.dy hprt neavy carcass. He was
= De I sia and Iimped with difficultv
s.yh hn Of Jesse, who was sitting
MP the he me ne was dressing Jesse's
~ Which hest he could, the yearfing
sa noa n with the two c,ibs had