The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-07-25
LAN0Ok AND THE BEAR
By HERBERT COOLIDGE.

49, 80, .-*-s-tc-
TO the east of Mount Shasta lies
the country that was once Lanook's.
There in the days Of his youth he
chased deer aud antelope and led MS
people against the narauding Mo-
docs. The valleys are all fenced and
farmed now, and Lanook in many
respects is all same white man
But he loves the old wilC Indian
days, loves to roam again in the land
of youth and strength and achieve
ment. The old man was daily Wis
itor when 1 lived in the country that
once was his, and time and time
again he would bare his forearm and
knee, show me the deep, livid scars
of a grizzly's teeth, and tell NE the
following story.
Long before the whites came be
and Nishka, now many years dead,
were returning from Pitt River with
big catch of salmon strung on
pole carried on their shoulders.
Nishka walked ahead. Before them
ran Lanook's little dog, clearing the
path OF chipmunks and squirrels.
AS they descended slope which
overlooks Fall Valley, they heard the
little dog yelp as if in great fear,
and saw him burst from manzanita
thicket. He was pursued by giant
grizzly bear.
Nishka fed. Lanook scrambled up
the nearest tree, a scrubby juniper.
The bear followed the dog straight
for the masters perch, until, catch
ing sight of Nishka's buckskin gar
ments fitting through the brush, he
turned and gave him chase.
Lanook, with breath held and eyes
bulging, watched his friends flight.
He was racing like the wind, but it
was as if toddling baby should at
tempt to outrun his father. The
great slouching brute gained as II the
fleet Indian had been hobbled; in al
most no time he was close upon him.
The poor fellow, in despair, lodged,
barely escaped the beasts claws, and
made a dive into laurel thicket.
The bear crashed after-then all was
silent.
The silence awoke Lanook. He
leaped from his tree, gathered up
the bow he had thrown aside before
climbing, and ran to Nishka's rescue.
The bear must have heard the rush
of moccasins on the trail, for as
Lanook drew within close arrow
range, the grizzly emerged from the
thicket and reared on his launches,
barring teeth that were dripping
blood.>
Lanook greeted him with two ar
rows, them fed for his tree. The
bear, wounded and furious, chased
him as he had chased his friend,
with the fearful speed no man could
equal. Nevertheless, the Indian
reached his juniper and ran up it
like chipmunk, this time retaining
his hold on his bow.
In a pouch hung from his neck
Lanook carried poison made from
black spiders, the fang-sacs of rat
tlesnake and juice of wild parsnips:
and while the grizzly pursued the
bowling cur round the tree, he tipped
three arrows with this death-6ealing
ointment.
The juniper which Lanook hal
climbed was the first treet at haLd-
not at all the one he would have
chosen to escape a grizzly. Stout
branches projected from the very
ground; besides, the tree tapered ab-
ruptly, and was not very tall. Round
and round it raced the dos. Finally
he made a quick dash, darted into
a big patch of deer brush, and there
succeeded in eluding his pursuer.
Soon the grizzly came back to the
tree, squatted on his launches, and
satfercely watching the Indian. Then,
his breath recovered, he stood up
right on mis- hind legs, and stretched
terrible, claw-horned paw upward.
And now he did stretch! Lanook
said it was as if the animals limbs
pulled out a hands length at each
Joint. He climbed till he feared the
tapering treetop would break.
The bear soon gave up the reach
ing idea and began to climb. In this
he was as awkward as he had been
agile in the chase; but with the lower
branches affording support for hind
and forepaws, it seemed likely that
hs could Wora his way upward.