Amador ledger., 1900-11-02
DODGING A GRIZZLY.
A LIVELY EXPERIENCE WITH AN OLD,
DIRTY FACED SILVER TIP.


Speaking of BEAR" said the mining
expert as he lit cigar and leaned back
comfortably in the corner of the smoker,
there's nothing nastier to meet out than
an old, dirty faced silver tip. He's a
Cross between a grizzly and brown.
and, like crosses generally, he inherits all
the meanness of both sides Of the family.
Old Dirty Face is always ugly about
something, and he goes around fairly
spelling for fight.
ANY one ever meet him? Well, | had
q scrap with one out in the Buffalo
Hump country last year, and l shan't
forget 1t In a hurry. 1 was out there
looking for some mines, and one day
took a little stroll all alone to see what
could find. We were right in the midst
Of the big mountains, hundred miles
from anywhere, and the finest game
country on the continent. l had my
Springfield with me, although 1 wasn't
caring for game just then. But some
times game hunts you, and then you've
got to fight, climb or run.
Along toward evening, as was start
ing back for camp, heard something
following on my trail, and looking back
saw Mr.. Dirty Face ambling along
couple of hundred yards behind me
and taking more interest in me than I
liked. didn't need any bear particular
ly, as there were no good trees handy,
only few little ones that didn't count.
"In the canyon below me was a good
sized stream, and made for that, think
ing I could throw the bear off down by
the water. When came to the bank,
found a mountain torrent 80 or 40
yards wide and deep and ugly looking.
skirted up tie bank pretty fast for
some time, and then / saw a rock well
out from Shore that I thought l could
reach. I rounded big bowlder, struck
1t above and by hard work reached the
rock all right. didn't believe Mr.. Bear
would tackle me there, but there was
where I didn't know him. Right UP
my trail he went, rounded the bowlder,
shifted once or twice, sighted me on the
rock and promptly struck in.
He had to swim, and the current was
SO swift that he missed the rock few
yards and so gave me a good shot. I let
him have the best had, and made him
kick, but he reached the shore all right,
and now his dander was up in earnest.
plugged at him again, but it didn't seem
to count On he came, higher up this
time and sighted better for the rock.
waited for him, and when he heaved his
big, ugly paws on my rock let him have
1t in the throat, and that fixed him. He
swept by, fairly making the water foam.
It's the last time, gentlemen, that l want
to be treed on q rock by a baldfaced
bear"
tits funny" said the doctor, whose
clear gray eyes and square jaw betoken-
ed plenty of grit; eit's funny how your
first grizzly takes the nerve out of you.
Two or three years ago went hunting
with a friend in Colorado. 1 had killed
some big game myself, and 1 knew that
he had killed plenty of it. But neither
of US had killed grizzly, and we were
eager for the first chance.
Zone day when I happened to be out
alone, as 1 came through a clump of
quaking asp what should run plump up
against but big grizzly busily employ
ed in roofing around in the dirt after
food.
He hadn't winded me. and there
stood, just screened by the quaking asp,
almost near enough to touch him with my
gun while he went on roofing, utterly un-
conscious of my presence.
Now or never I thought as I
brought my gun to my shoulder and care
fully sighted for his head. Then the
sights began to wabble and an ague
seemed to seize the gun. steadied my
self, looked around for a convenient tree
and tried again, this time for the shoul-
der. Again the gun wabbled, and i
ground my teeth in rage.
"The bear lifted his head. seemed to
smell something up the wind and started
OF at good gait away from me. Well,
old boy thought, II I can't hit you
standing l can't running so 1 let him
go.
II felt pretty glum when 1 came into
camp that night, but 1 didn't say any
thing. My friend was cooking supper,
and he seemed pretty quiet too. After
supper we lighted our pipes and sat by
the fire thinking.
Whats the matter, old man? What
are you so still aboutr he finally asked.
"'Oh, nothing I said, trying to seem
cheerful
Ibid you see bear? he persisted.
Yes, hang 1t, did, answered dog
gedly.
"'Well, SO did l. he said, and the in
cident was closed.
1--WE each got our bear afterward,
however, so the disease didn't prove IA
tal"
"Well, gentlemen" said the CONNER
cial traveller, II never hunted bear my
self, but 1 heard a story the other day
Of some fellows who found one up in
Montana. st5 tkEfiEE 81
"They were prospecting right up in
the big bear country, but they let the
bear alone, and the bear let them alone.
One night they camped In deep canyon,
and while .one was cooking supper the
other started out with his shotgun to
get some birds. Lots of birds up there.
80 tame you can almost kill them with
stick.
"Pretty soon the man with the shotgun
fan up against grizzly, and Mr.. Griz-
Ely was mad about something and start
ed for him. The man hit the trail hard
for camp, the bear right after him.
When the fellow who was cooking sup
per heard the landslide coming down the
mountain, he saw what was up and
grabbed his gun to shoot. But he was
| afraid to shoot for fear of hitting his
partner, so he couldn't do anything but
yell.
!" Run, r-u-u-np he yelled, and the
man and the bear both let out a couple
of links, and the gravel flew faster than
ever.
"'Run, r-u-u-np he howled, dancing
around to try to get shot.
RUM painted the other fellow
Run? You fool, do you think I'm
THROWN this raceP"-Portland Ore
gonian.
How He Got Out.
Custodian-So you changed your mind
about taking that fat as soon as YOU