Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-05-23
Ry MRS. NJ. f. PLASSNIANN)

Wy WINS. w. Il. ~iaoSNliNN
lFE was never monotonous at Lisa's
fort at Three Forks; there were
plenty of things to keep the trap
pers on the alert. When the Blackfeet
or Gros Ventres of the prairie failed
to put in an appearance there were al
ways rattlesnakes or grizzly bears that
could be counted on TO prevent their
leading a humdrum existence.
RattlesnakeS were bad enough. but
grizzlies were worse. General James
pronounced them to be when wounded
the most terrible, ferociouS and danger
GUS to the hunter of all other animals
He tells of how Ware, one OF the three
men who started with him down the
Missouri and returned to defend the
post against IN expected attack. was
hunting on an island in the Madison
river. He met a bear and Of course at
once opened fire, wounding. but not
killing the animal. The tables were
now turned, the hunter being the hunt
ed. Ware ran for the river, when the
bear considerably died on the bank.
Ware returned to skin it when he heard
another grizzly approaching. This time
he did not shoot, thinking it more pru-
dent to return to the fort for help.
Once James was outside of the fort
with his dog, probably hunting. The
dog heard a bear which was feasting
on an elk it had killed. Suddenly the
bear looked up, and seeing the dog,
charged in its direction. 1t was also
the direction of James, who ran, think
ing the men who were with him would
shoot the grizzly. Instead, they fol-
lowed the example of James and in
%continently fled. This alarmed James,
until glancing back to see if his pursuer
vas gaining on him, he discovered to
his relief that the bear, not to be out
done IN caution by mere men, was
making the best time possible through
the underbrush in the opposite direc-
ton. In this instance the bear was
not wounded. Had it been, the life Of
an interesting writer Of early days at
Three Forks would have ended then
and there.
This incident seems to confirm the
assertion l have frequently heard, that.
unless wounded or frightened, a griz-
Fly will not attack a The case
may be different if it is a mother bear
with her young. She will be the ag-
gressor to safeguard her cubs.
Indians had a wholesome fear of
grizzlies. 1T was considered a great
deed of valor to have slain one and,
like medals, the claws of the grizzly
when worn, denoted the proves of the
Wearer. A necklace of them was a
mark Of signal distinction.
James relates how one Indian, q
Shawnee, killed a bear which had
seized him by his cape and collar. The
dying bear did not release its hold and
when it fell to the ground the Indian
was underneath. The fellow was al
most crushed by the immense weight
before he could be released. This is
x,@{ t~ lA ,vD,1lArnL ~ ,TIa,~ ,y,p 1nar @f
grizzlies weighing 800 pounds.
One day a trapper by the name of
Pelton, a Yankee. went out from the
fort to look at his traps. These were
often set in or by streams where there
was thick underbrush, which furnished
excellent hiding places for Indians and
wild animals. Pelton must have known
this and taken the usual precaution of
carefully examining the neighbOrhood
for any lurking foe. Everything was
quiet and peaceful and he felt per-
fectly safe in giving his whole atten-
ton to his traps when, without warn
ing, he was seized by the breast and
thrown down by a grizzly which sud-
denly rose before him.
After throwing the man to the
ground, the bear stood over him, exam
lining him c~uriously without making
IA NlAO1b w AlAl
thus rendered helpless and at the
bears mercy, made no attempt to
shoot. Instead he yelled with all the
strength Of his lungs, but with no ex-
p~ectation Of escaping death.
The bear continued to watch him for
a time, and then deliberately walked
off, leaving the astonished trapper to
gather himself up and make the Short
est way back to the fort. Here he re-
lated his experience, a%ttributing his al
most miraculous escape to his "bearish
eyes"
Another trapper named Marie was
attacked by a bear but was not SO for
tunate as Pelton. He lost an eye and
Managing to escape from the bears
clutches in this mangled condition, he
ran to a neighboring pond, and plung-
ing in, started for the opposite shore.
Nothing daunted, the bear followed him
into the water where it soon proved
to be the better swimmer. Marie saw
death inevitably nea when a shot from
the gun Of a companion ended the griz-
zly's life.
These are a few of the bear stories
James has recorded in his description
of what happened at Three Forks when
he vas there. His business, and that
of those who accompanied him to this
remote station in the midst of the
Rocky mountains, was to catch beaver.
They could not undertake this without
leaving the fort and to do SO was peril
Gus.
On the third day after their arrival,
M of their number, Drouillard, start
ed out to set his traps. 1t was no griz-
ely that lay in wait for him, but In
dams. who literally hacked him to