The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-03-10


ued, to invite the soldiers to witness the
sport.
The officer promptly accepted the in
vitation and, directing his men to follow,
FASTENED after the Indian. A short ride
brought the command within view of the
place where the bear had made his bed,
and, soon thereafter the creature itself
was discovered moving eisurely across
small, open space among the trees. AS
the troop approached, rhs Indians began
to ride in circle aboutsth beast, dis
charging their barbed arrows as they
came near it, the meanwhile encourag-
ing each other to urge their horses to a
closer approach. f"
The fun waxed hot and furious as it
went on, and might have continued in
definitely but for the misfortune of a
luckless warrior, who was thrown from
his horse by the violent plungings of the
animal in it's efforts 20 avoid a sudden
rush of the bear Scrambling to his feet,
the Indian ran to small tree that stood
near by and climbed to its topmost
branches with the agility of a cat. The
bear sprang after the warrior to the foot
of the tree and, rising upon it's hind feet,
attempted to reach him with it's extended
claw. The weight of the creature bore
heavily upon the tree and momentarily
threatened to force it to the ground.
The Indians rushed quickly to the assist
ance of their comrade, and circling
about the bear endeavored to divert it's
attention from the attack upon their
companion. But the animal held to it's
purpose.
At this perilous juncture a cry arose
among the Indians for the assistance Of
the soldiers in their effort to save their
comrade. The officer in command
quickly responded, and several men were
directed to fire upon the beast. At first
the injuries inflicted upon it by the SOL
dier's weapons seemed only to increase
it's violent efforts to break down the
tree, but eventually one of the missiles
struck it in the back and brought it to
the ground 1t attempted then to move
away, but the ball had injured the spinal
cord and paralyzed it's hinder parts. 1t
dragged itself short distance from the
tree in an effort to escape, and, then
abandoning that purpose, turned upon
the Indians, who had resumed the at
tack. AS they successfully came near to
discharge their arrows, or attempt a
thrust with their spears, the creature
made frantic efforts to rush upon them.
1t growled necessarily and snapped it's
huge jaws together with terrific force,
the meanwhile giving further vent to
its rage by tearing great burrows in the
earth with it's immense claws.
Sometimes it succeeded in dragging
itself quickly for several feet in it's mad
rushes upon it's tormentors, and several
narrow escapes were made by those who
had ventured near
The officer finally suggested that the
struggle should be ended by shooting the
creature, but the Indians objected, and
when he persisted because of the unnec-
essary suffering inflicted upon the ami
NAL, they fastened to remind him that
he was an invited guest. and should have
nothing to say in the matter.
The cad, however, speedily followed
this expression of views, and while the
officer and Man-ton-to were still discuss
ing the question, warrior on foot took
advantage of rush of the bear to make
a flank attack upon it. Springing
towards the creature in desperate ven-
ture, the warrior thrust his sharp, IRON
headed spear into the creatures side,
piercing its heart and killing it almost
instantly.
H r. BRINKERHOFF,
Col. U. S. A. Retired.