The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-11-04

/ RABBIT out OF an old log Well. the
grizzly acted just that way. He sat
on his launches at the entrance Of
my fissure. swaying back and forth
and eying me with rapidly increasing
| wrath, until with a sudden burst of
fury he lunged forward, dug and bit
Iurlously at the rough lava, roaring
terribly, and fairly bouncing up and
down with rage when he hurt himself
on the saw-like edges. Then he tried
the reaching, twisting, squirming sys-
tenn again, until, exhausted and dis
couFaged, he suddenly extricated him
self, to stand swaying back and forth
outide till his warth again turned
him into raging whirlwind.
How long he kept this up I do not
know, but it seemed an interminable
time before my scare wore off suf-
nciently for me to realize that nv
hide was whole, and that the rocks
were standing the issue a great deal
better than was the grizzly.
Just about this moment he went
clambering up overhead of a sudden
and came down at me from above.
The fissure in which I stood nearly
|
or woodshed, and was somewhat
oell-mouthed at the top. Being
wedged tightly into the crack, the
| grizzly all but had me before 1 could
change from my upright position. 1
threw myself over sidewise Just in
time to save my skull from his power
full claws.
Then the bear apparently turned
himself into india-rubber, and pro-
| ceeded to spread out and claw and
twist and squirm until he almost had
his hooks upon me. How he did
rage and wriggle to reach Just one
inch farther! Had 1 been a disinter-
ested party, could have sympathized
with the eager brute in his foiled
ambition. AS it was, 1 crowded nv
self into all the tiny crevices in nv
attempt to become quite fiat, and
wished with all my heart that l was
a smaller and thinner man.
But at last he gave up and backed
| out in great wrath; with still greater
agility he jumped to the ground and
came at me again from the side en-
trance. Then had furious scramble
pulling myself out of the crevices and
regaining my upright position.
The bears maneuvre gave me an
idea-the first one I had had.
took my hat and held the rim lust
within reach of the great hooks, that
were viciously clawing the rock-walI.
This encouraged Mr. Grizzly; he fair
ly outdid himself in his efforts to
gather in the rest of my head-gear.
| When he had got into the crack as
far as seemed possible and threatened
TO become disgusted and pull himself
out, l thumped his toes with a slab
shaped fragment of rock, all of which
tended to keep him busy at the i'm
possible entrance.
His obviously futile rage entirely
cleared my mind from the panic that
had possessed me, and my wits set
about devising some means of further
turning the tables on the grizzly. A.
little whisper of hope-it seemed a
| strange, new thing-thrilled me with
life. and my wits worked in earnest.
| Then came to me the thought of
the rope 1 was carrying when Mr..
Grizzly first whirled to give chase,
and with it hazy idea that in my
panic 1 might have forgotten to drop
1t. 1 instinctively felt round with my
feet, and presently, sure enough.
hooked my toe through the coil.
fed little more of my hat into the
grizzly's claws, punched him up a bit
with my splinter of rock, and while he
roared and tussled with his problem,
wondered how l could use that
rope in solving mine.
After moment my mind recalled
the knobby projections that barred
my further entrance into the fissure.
Tie him up, of course said 1: only
be quick about it..
First of all 1 wrapped my hand
kerchief round a good stout knob of
rock to keep it's uneven edges from
cutting the rope. Making a couple of
half-hitches in the blight of the rope,
l slipped them over the huge paw
that was eagerly interesting itself
with the crown of my hat.
Now, old man, come right in
here after me- said I, giving him the
remainder of my hat and pounding
his toes viciously with my slap of
| rock. Mr.. Grizzly responded with a
roar that made the ground jar, and
by tremendous effort wriggled for
ward a full two inches. Then
shifted my position to guard against
being fouled when the rope drew taut,
| took my turn round the knob, tight
| ened on him and made fast.
"How the old fellow did roar and
thrash! But he didn't have a bit of
purchase, the half-hitches frightened
with the strain, and the strong
doubled rope held easily. 1 stayed
just long enough to make sure of
this and then scrambled out of the
bell-mouthed upper entrance, tore
away froE that lava mountain,
packed my burrOs, put for the lower
country, and went to work on a
ranch.
What became of the bear? Well,
was so angry over his killing my
Jackrabbit that went away with the
full intention Of leaving him there.