Williams news., 1903-05-23
WILD MAN IN
 GRAND CANYON
A Colorado Man Tells Thrilling Story of Adventure With
 Strange Creature.

Many strange stories have been told of the "wild man" of the Grand Canyon of Arizona, and while some persons have credited these weird tales, they have for the most part been regarded as the in- genious inventions of imaginative travellers, and have passed into tra- dition as such. But according to I. w. Stevens of Cedar, Colo, the wild man" is not a myth, and he gives a thrilling account of an encounter he had with the creature.
 'Two years ago." says MT. Stev- ems, "I had business in the north western part of Arizona that took me in the neighborhood of the ex- treme lower end of the Grand Can yon of Arizona, in Mohave county, Arizona. Having the misfortune of getting my arm broken, l took trip to the river to kill time and catch a few beaver. I constructed a skiff, with the aid of friend, and when my arm got strong enough l took trip up the canyon as far as I could go with a boat. A few miles above the entrance I hauled my boat upon the sand and got ready to examine the rock walls.
 "The first thing that attracted my attention was the imprint of bare feet in the sand. Thinking the tracks had been made by some Indian, perhaps Piute or Hual pal, I began looking the gorge over with much interest. Going down stream a short distance I found more tracks.
 ''The third day of my stay I saw the head of a man on a bench of rocks on the north side of the river Evidently he was seated on the edge of a cliff some distance above my camp. I rowed up stream a little above where I saw the mans head and part of his shoulders above the greasewood brush. Climb ing up to the bench, I had some difficulty in finding a place that I could get over the ledge and be on a level with my strange neighbor.
 "I finally succeeded in approach ing closer to the point. I saw sit ting on large powder a man with long white hair and matted beard that reached to his knees. The creature was unaware of my ap- proach and I gazed upon him for some moments unobserved. He was about fifty yards away and in full view. He wore no clothing, and upon his talon-like fingers were claws at least two inches long. A coat of gray hair nearly covered his body, with here and there spot of dirty skin showing. I had found the wild man. of the rocks
 "At that moment rock, loosened by some animal, came rolling down. The creature turned his face toward me. Horrors What face! It was scared and burned brown by the sun, with fiery green eyes. With a wild whoop and a leap he was off up over rocks and cliffs like a mountain sheep for about seventy five yards. Then he stopped. He was armed with queer-shaped club, large enough to fell an OK. Bra ndishing this bludgeon, he shrieked and chattered for a mo- ment, then started toward me, roar ing and still fourishing his weapon. Faster and faster he came and my hair began to stiffen.
 "I am a poor runner, so l stood my ground. When the creature was within about fifteen yards of me I raised my rifle to fire, think ing to cripple him. As l glanced along the barrel I heard a deep growl just above the wild man. Looking up I saw she cougar and two half grown cubs. The mother cougar crouched, with tail