The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-01-02
Biz Game In MontandFrom
Early Historical Records
BY ELERS KOCH

/ Above the Great Falls of the Mis-
souri,, June II: There are vast
quantities of buffalo feeding on the
plains or watering in the river,
which is also strewed with the
floating carcasses and limbs of these
animals. They go in large herds to
water about the falls, and as all the
passages to the river near that place
are narrow and steep, the foremost
are pressed into the river by the
impetus of those behind In this
way we have seen ten or a dozen
disappear over the falls in a few
minutes. They afford excellent
food for the wolves, bears and
birds of prey, which circumstance
may account for the reluctance OF
the bears to yield their dominion
over the neighborhood."
In the midst of all this abundance
the party fed fat. ut requires some
diligence to supply us plentifully,
for we reserve our parched meal
for the Rocky Mountains, where we
do not expect to find much game,
our principal item of food is meat,
and the consumption of the whole
80 persons belonging to the party
amounts to four deer, an elk and a
deer, or one buffalo every "a hours.
AS general rule they were not
satisfied with this modest require
ment and the record abounds with
such entries. 1.-The hunters brought
in six elk, two buffalo, two mule
deer and a bear" They did not
even stop with variety of buff
falo beef, mountain sheep mutton
three kinds OF venison, bear meat
besides beaver prairie chickens
geese and ducks, but "the party
killed five elk and a mule deer
and by way of experiment roasted
some burroWing squirrels, which
they found to be well favored and
tender
Fierce Grizzly Bears
The number, size, and ferocity
of the grizzly bears, along the Mis-
souri, River was extraordinary. The
black bear, which is common on the
lower part of the Missouri, was
not seen in this region.
The Lewis and Clark party had
frequent encounters with the griz-
Fly bears, and grew to have whole
some respect for them. The history
Of one such encounter will suffice
Captain Lewis then descended
the hill and directed his course to-
| ward the river falling in from the
West. He soon met a herd of al
least 1000 buffalo, and being de-
sirous of providing for supper, shot
one of them. The animal immedi-
ately began to bleed, and Captain
! Lewis, who had forgotten to re-
load his rifle, was intently watch.
ing to see him fall, when he be.
held large brown bear, which
was stealing up on him upper.
ceived and was already within Il
steps At the first moment Of sur.
prise he lifted his rifle, but re-
membering instantly that it was no,
charged, and that he had no time
to reload, he felt that there was nc
| safety but in flight. 1t was in the
open level plain, not brush or 9
/, tree within 300 yards, the bank Of
the river sloping and not more thar
three feet high, SO that there was
no possible mode of concealment
Captain Lewis therefore thought Q,
retreating at quick walk, as fas
as the bear advanced, toward the
nearest tree, but as soon as he
turned, the bear ran open mouthec
and at full speed upon him. Cap
tain Lewis ran about 80 yards, bu
finding that the animal gained or
him fast, it flashed on his mine
that, by getting into the water tt
such depth that the bear would BIZ
obliged to attack him swimming
there was still some chance of hi.
life. He therefore turned about
plunged into the river about Wais
deep, and facing about presented
the point Of his espontoon. The beal
arrived at the waters edge within
~ feet of him, but as soon as hi
put himself in this posture Of de
Tense, the bear seemed frightened
and wheeling about retreated with
as much precipitation as he hac
pursued &c. He could not con
ceive the cause OF the sudden alarm
OF the bear, but congratulated him
self on his escape, when he saw hi
own track torn to pieces by thu
furious animal"
Above the Gates of the Noun
tains no further buffalo were en-
countered, though elk, black tai
and Whitehall deer, antelope, noun
tain sheep, bear, and beaver wer,
| abundant
At the headwaters of the Jeffer
son and on the Salmon River, gam,
was comparatively scarce, though
the party managed to get deer, ell
or antelope nearly every day. TIL,
Shoshone Indians in this region
were subsisting somewhat precari
ously, obtaining game with mucl
difficulty, and supplementing thei
diet with roots and fish, while the,
waited for an accumulation of suf
| ficient forces to enable them t,
venture across the mountains int,
the buffalo country, the home O
their terrible enemies, the Black
feet. We have the authority O
Lieutenant Bradley for the state
ment that the Blackfeet subsistet
almost entirely on buffalo meat
rarely using antelope, deer, elk
L IL