Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-01-08
THEODORE ROOSEVELT


GOthing: indeed II was rather lucky
we did not stumble across the bear. as
he could have made short work Of US
when we were at such a disadvantage
Next day We went of on a long
tramp through the woods and along
the sides Of the canyons. There were
plenty Of berry bushes growing In
clusters; and all around these there
were fresh tracks OF bear. But the
grizzly is also fesh-eater. and has a
great liking for carrion. On visiting
the place where Merri6eld had killed
the black bear. we found that the griI-
lilies had boen there before US. and had
utterly deyoured the carcass, with can
nibal relish Hardly a scrap was left,
and we turned our steps toward where
lay the bull elk I had killed. It was
quite late In the afternoon when we
reached the place. A grizzly had evil
IDENTIFY been at the carcass during the
preceding night, for his great foot
prints were IN the ground all around
n, and the carcass itself was gnawed
and torn, and partially covered with
earth and leaves-for the grizzly has
curious habit OF burying all OF his
need A great many ravens had been
feeding on the body. and they wheeled
about over the tree tops above us. ut
tering their barking croaks.
The forest was composed mainly Of
what are called rldge-pole pines, which
grow close together and do not branch
out until the stems are thirty or forty
feet from the ground. Beneath these
trees we walked over a carpet OF pine
needles, upon which our moccasined
seemed vast and lonely. and their ST.
lence was broken now and then by the
strange noises always TO be heard In
the great forests. and which seem TO
mark the sad and everlasting unrest
OF the wilderness. We climbed up
along the trunk OF a dead tree which
had toppled over until its upper
branches struck in the LIMB csotch Of
another, that thus supported II at an
angle halfway In ts fall. When
above the ground far enough TO pre-
vent the bears smelling u.s. We sat still
to wait for his approach: until. In the
gathering gloom, we could NO longer
see the sights OF our rides, and could
but dimly make out the carcass OF the
great elk.
II was useless " wait longer: and
we clambered down and stoas out TO
the edge OF the woods TIE forest here
covered one side OF steep. almost
canyonlike rsvfne. whose other side
was bare except Of rock and sas--brush
Once out from under the trees there
was still plenty Of hight. although the
sun had set. and We cvossed over some
nfty yards to the opposite hill -Ade, and
crouched down uHder q bush to see II
perchance some animal might not also
leave the cover. To our right the ra
vine sloped downward toward the val
ley Of the Blghorn River. and far on
its other side we could catch q glimpse
or the great main chain OF the Rockies,
their snow peaks glintins crimson In
the hight of the set sun. Again we
waited quietly in the growing dusk
until the pine trees In our front blend
ed into one dark. frowning mass. We
saw nothing: but the wild creatures OF
the forest had begun to stir abroad
The owls hootsd dismally from the
tops Of the tall trscs, and two OF three
times a harsh wsil,ng cry. pcobsb bly, the
voice Of some lyuI or wolverine, arose
from the depths OF the woods At last.
as We were rfstng to leave. we heard
the sound q tbs t~essinx OF a dead !
stick, from ne spot wbsrs we knew
the carcass @y X Vas q sharp, sud !
den ncise, psrtsesy distisct from the
natural eresiins and seapping OF the !
branches; tv-t s~eA . sound as would
be mads by the tpssd q ssuse heavy /
creature, -osx nph~sirn" had come
bacs ~ the ssresSl A nisv>s sfter-
ward. listening wftn strained ears, we
heard him brush by somS dry twigs. .
II was snureiy too dark 20 20 In after
him; but we made up our minds that .
on the morrow he should be ours
Early newt morning wo were over M
the elk carcass. snd as We expected
found that the bear had eaten his r. J.
nt 't during ;he n'ght Hts trucks
showed h.l TO De an Immense follow
0ni were ~ fresh that W. doubted II
he had left long h~tSs vs arrived. and
we made up our minds TO follow him
mp and try to hnd his lair The bears
thar lived on the.s mountain, had evi
IDENTITY been littls disturbed. Indeed. the
Indians and mO~t ~ the white hunters
are rather chRry " meddlug with
"oM Ephraim." 80 the mountain men
style the gris1ly, unless they set him
Ht di>sdNautagS. tor the sport is
fmosht WITH some danger and but
small profit The bearr thus seemed 10
'.N' VERY Nee fear " harm. and We
though, q, iiSely that the bed " the
'n' ".' hi Ped 90 the elk would not
.c "v.'
Mt companion was a skilml tracker I
'"i Wt tovs up To- TRAN az once. For
,'.U ti>.H.e h leJ over the soft I
".'. .t- ~ mess and pine nee
' footprints were quite ,
".r ont although We rcrii