The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-07-11
LANOOK AND THE BEAR
BY HERBERT COOLIDGE.
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To the east of Mount Shasta lies
the country that was once Lanook's.
There in the days of his youth he
chased deer and antelope and led his
people against the marauding. 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 wild Indian
days, loves to roam again in the land
of youth and strength and achieve
ment. The old man was daily Wis
itor when I 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 me the
following story.
Long before the whites came he
and Nishka, now many years dead,
were returning from Pitt River with
a big catch of salmon strung on a
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 a slope which
overlooks Fall Valley, they heard the
little dog yelp as II In great fear,
and saw him burst from a manzanita
thicket. He was pursued by giant
grizzly bear.
Nishka fed. Lanook scrambled up
the nearest tree, scrubby juniper.
The hear followed the dog straight
for the masters perch, until, catch
ing sight of Nishkas buckskin gar
ments fitting through the brush, he
turned and gave him chaS@
Lanook, with breath held and eyes
bulging, watched his friends flight.
He was racing like the wind, but 1t
was as If a 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 dive into laurel thicket
The bear crashed after-then all was
silent.
The silence awoSe Lanook. He
leaped from his tree, gathered uI
the bow he had thrown aside before
Climbing, and ran to Nishka's rescue
The bear must have heard the rusf
of moccasins on the trail, for al
Lanook drew within close arrow
range, the grizzly emerged from thu
thicket and reared on his launches
barring teeth that were drippini
blood
Lanook greeted him with two ar
rows, then fed for his tree. Th'
bear, wounded and furious, chase'
him as he had chased his friend
with the fearful speed no man coul'
equal. Nevertheless, the Indial
reached his juniper and ran up 4
like a chipmunk, this time retainin
lis hold on his bow.
In pouch hung from his nee
Lanook carried poison made fror
black spiders, the fang-sacs of a raj
tlesnake and juice OF wild parsnips
and while the grizzly pursued tn
bowling cur round the tree, he tippe
three arrows with this death-dealin
ointment.
The juniper which Lanook ha
climbed was the first treet at hard
not at all the one he would hay
chosen to escape a grizzly. Stoi
branches projected from the yer
ground; besides, the tree tapered al
ruptly, and was not very tall Roun
and round 1t raced the dog. Final
he made a quick dash, darted iLi
a big patch of deer brush, and thel
succeeded in eluding his pursuer.
Soon the grizzly came back to IL
tree, sQuatted on his launches, al
sat thereby watching the Indian. The
his breath recovered, he stood u
right on his hind legs, and stretchs
terrible, claw-horned paw upwar
And how he did stretchi Lanoc
said 1t was as II the animals linn
pulled out hands length at ea'
joint. He climbed till he feared Il
tapering treetop would break. ,
The bear soon gave up the reac
ing idea and began to climb. In II
he was as awkward as he had be
agile in the chase; but with the low
branches affording support for hi
and forspaws, It seemed likely th
he could work his way upward.
The great weight OF the bru
made the little tree bend alarming
and when he wriggled and hitchs
both OF which he did very violent
Lanook felt like an ant on spear
grass whipped by the wind. Hc
left the Indian; IN Its place came d
perate resolution. He descended
far as he dared, fitted one Of |
poisoned arrow to his bow. a
waited.
The bear ceased his struggles
moment, and threw back his head
look upward. Quick as the snf
strikes, Lanook buried one arrt
then another. In his shaggy bre,