hunting the grisly and other sketches-第12章

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strewn　with　boulders　and　fallen　logs。　Often；　especially　if　in　a
restless　mood　and　roaming　much　over　the　country；　it　merely　makes　a
temporary　bed；　in　which　it　lies　but　once　or　twice；　and　again　it　may
make　a　more　permanent　lair　or　series　of　lairs；　spending　many
consecutive　nights　in　each。　Usually　the　lair　or　bed　is　made　some
distance　from　the　feeding　ground；　but　bold　bears；　in　very　wild
localities；　may　lie　close　by　a　carcass；　or　in　the　middle　of　a　berry
ground。　The　deer…killing　bear　above　mentioned　had　evidently　dragged
two　or　three　of　his　victims　to　his　den；　which　was　under　an
impenetrable　mat　of　bull…berries　and　dwarf　box…alders；　hemmed　by　a　cut
bank　on　one　side　and　a　wall　of　gnarled　cottonwoods　on　the　other。　Round
this　den；　and　rendering　it　noisome；　were　scattered　the　bones　of
several　deer　and　a　young　steer　or　heifer。　When　we　found　it　we　thought
we　could　easily　kill　the　bear；　but　the　fierce；　cunning　beast　must　have
seen　or　smelt　us；　for　though　we　laid　in　wait　for　it　long　and
patiently；　it　did　not　come　back　to　its　place；　nor；　on　our　subsequent
visits；　did　we　ever　find　traces　of　its　having　done　so。

Bear　are　fond　of　wallowing　in　the　water；　whether　in　the　sand；　on　the
edge　of　a　rapid　plains　river；　on　the　muddy　margin　of　a　pond；　or　in　the
oozy　moss　of　a　clear；　cold　mountain　spring。　One　hot　August　afternoon；
as　I　was　clambering　down　a　steep　mountain…side　near　Pend'Oreille　lake；
I　heard　a　crash　some　distance　below；　which　showed　that　a　large　beast
was　afoot。　On　making　my　way　towards　the　spot；　I　found　I　had　disturbed
a　big　bear　as　it　was　lolling　at　ease　in　its　bath；　the　discolored　water
showed　where　it　had　scrambled　hastily　out　and　galloped　off　as　I
approached。　The　spring　welled　out　at　the　base　of　a　high　granite　rock；
forming　a　small　pool　of　shimmering　broken　crystal。　The　soaked　moss　lay
in　a　deep　wet　cushion　round　about；　and　jutted　over　the　edges　of　the
pool　like　a　floating　shelf。　Graceful；　water…loving　ferns　swayed　to　and
fro。　Above；　the　great　conifers　spread　their　murmuring　branches；
dimming　the　light；　and　keeping　out　the　heat；　their　brown　boles　sprang
from　the　ground　like　buttressed　columns。　On　the　barren　mountain…side
beyond　the　heat　was　oppressive。　It　was　small　wonder　that　Bruin　should
have　sought　the　spot　to　cool　his　gross　carcass　in　the　fresh　spring
water。

The　bear　is　a　solitary　beast；　and　although　many　may　assemble　together；
in　what　looks　like　a　drove；　on　some　favorite　feeding…groundusually
where　the　berries　are　thick；　or　by　the　banks　of　a　salmon…thronged
riverthe　association　is　never　more　than　momentary；　each　going　its
own　way　as　soon　as　its　hunger　is　satisfied。　The　males　always　live
alone　by　choice；　save　in　the　rutting　season；　when　they　seek　the
females。　Then　two　or　three　may　come　together　in　the　course　of　their
pursuit　and　rough　courtship　of　the　female；　and　if　the　rivals　are　well
matched；　savage　battles　follow；　so　that　many　of　the　old　males　have
their　heads　seamed　with　scars　made　by　their　fellows'　teeth。　At　such
times　they　are　evil　tempered　and　prone　to　attack　man　or　beast　on
slight　provocation。

The　she　brings　forth　her　cubs；　one；　two；　or　three　in　number；　in　her
winter　den。　They　are　very　small　and　helpless　things；　and　it　is　some
time　after　she　leaves　her　winter　home　before　they　can　follow　her　for
any　distance。　They　stay　with　her　throughout　the　summer　and　the　fall；
leaving　her　when　the　cold　weather　sets　in。　By　this　time　they　are　well
grown；　and　hence；　especially　if　an　old　male　has　joined　the　she；　the
family　may　number　three　or　four　individuals；　so　as　to　make　what　seems
like　quite　a　little　troop　of　bears。　A　small　ranchman　who　lived　a　dozen
miles　from　me　on　the　Little　Missouri　once　found　a　she…bear　and　three
half…grown　cubs　feeding　at　a　berry…patch　in　a　ravine。　He　shot　the　old
she　in　the　small　of　the　back；　whereat　she　made　a　loud　roaring　and
squealing。　One　of　the　cubs　rushed　towards　her；　but　its　sympathy　proved
misplaced；　for　she　knocked　it　over　with　a　hearty　cuff；　either　out　of
mere　temper；　or　because　she　thought　her　pain　must　be　due　to　an
unprovoked　assault　from　one　of　her　offspring。　The　hunter　then　killed
one　of　the　cubs；　and　the　other　two　escaped。　When　bears　are　together
and　one　is　wounded　by　a　bullet；　but　does　not　see　the　real　assailant；
it　often　falls　tooth　and　nail　upon　its　comrade；　apparently　attributing
its　injury　to　the　latter。

Bears　are　hunted　in　many　ways。　Some　are　killed　by　poison；　but　this
plan　is　only　practised　by　the　owners　of　cattle　or　sheep　who　have
suffered　from　their　ravages。　Moreover；　they　are　harder　to　poison　than
wolves。　Most　often　they　are　killed　in　traps；　which　are　sometimes　dead…
falls；　on　the　principle　of　the　little　figure…4　trap　familiar　to　every
American　country　boy；　sometimes　log…pens　in　which　the　animal　is　taken
alive；　but　generally　huge　steel　gins。　In　some　states　there　is　a　bounty
for　the　destruction　of　grislies；　and　in　many　places　their　skins　have　a
market　price；　although　much　less　valuable　than　those　of　the　black
bear。　The　men　who　pursue　them　for　the　bounty；　or　for　their　fur；　as
well　as　the　ranchmen　who　regard　them　as　foes　to　stock；　ordinarily　use
steel　traps。　The　trap　is　very　massive；　needing　no　small　strength　to
set；　and　it　is　usually　chained　to　a　bar　or　log　of　wood；　which　does　not
stop　the　bear's　progress　outright；　but　hampers　and　interferes　with　it；
continually　catching　in　tree　stumps　and　the　like。　The　animal　when
trapped　makes　off　at　once；　biting　at　the　trap　and　the　bar；　but　it
leaves　a　broad　wake　and　sooner　or　later　is　found　tangled　up　by　the
chain　and　bar。　A　bear　is　by　no　means　so　difficult　to　trap　as　a　wolf　or
fox　although　more　so　than　a　cougar　or　a　lynx。　In　wild　regions　a
skilful　trapper　can　often　catch　a　great　many　with　comparative　ease。　A
cunning　old　grisly　however；　soon　learns　the　danger；　and　is　then　almost
impossible　to　trap；　as　it　either　avoids　the　neighborhood　altogether　or
finds　out　some　way　by　which　to　get　at　the　bait　without　springing　the
trap；　or　else　deliberately　springs　it　first。　I　have　been　told　of　bears
which　spring　traps　by　rolling　across　them；　the　iron　jaws　slipping
harmlessly　off　the　big　round　body。　An　old　horse　is　the　most　common
bait。

It　is；　of　course；　all　right　to　trap　bears　when　they　are　followed
merely　as　vermin　or　for　the　sake　of　the　fur。　Occasionally；　however；
hunters　who　are　out　merely　for　sport　adopt　this　method；　but　this
should　never　be　done。　To　shoot　a　trapped　bear　for　sport　is　a
thoroughly　unsportsmanlike　proceeding。　A　funny　plea　sometimes　advanced
in　its　favor　is　that　it　is　〃dangerous。〃　No　doubt　in　exceptional
instances　this　is　true；　exactly　as　it　is　true　that　in　exceptional
instances　it　is　〃dangerous〃　for　a　butcher　to　knock　over　a　steer　in　the
slaughter…house。　A　bear　caught　only　by　the　toes　may　wrench　itself　free
as　the　hunter　comes　near；　and　attack　him　with　pain…maddened　fury；　or
if　followed　at　once；　and　if　the　trap　and　bar　are　light；　it　may　be
found　in　some　thicket；　still　free；　and　in　a　frenzy　of　rage。　But　even
in　such　cases　the　beast　has　been　crippled；　and　though　crazy　with　pain
and　anger　is　easily　dealt　with　by　a　good　shot；　while　ordinarily　the
poor　brute　is　found　in　the　last　stages　of　exhaustion；　tied　tight　to　a
tree　where　the　log　or　bar　has　caught；　its　teeth　broken　to　splinted
stumps　by　rabid　snaps　at　the　cruel　trap　and　chain。　Some　trappers　kill
the　trapped　grislies　with　a　revolver；　so　that　it　may　easily　be　seen
that　the　sport　is　not　normally　dangerous。　Two　of　my　own　cowboys；
Seawell　and　Dow；　were　originally　from　Maine；　where　they　had　trapped　a
number　of　black　bears；　and　they　always　killed　them　either　with　a
hatchet　or　a　small　32…calibre　revolver。　One　of　them；　Seawell；　once
came　near　being　mauled　by　a　trapped　bear；　seemingly　at　the　last　gasp
which　he　approached　incautiously　with　his　hatchet。

There　is；　however；　one　very　real　danger　to　which　the　solitary　bear…
trapper　is　exposed；　the　danger　of　being　caught　in　his　own　trap。　The
huge　jaws　of　the　gin　are　easy　to　spring　and　most　hard　to　open。　If　any
unwary　passer…by　should　tread　between　them　and　be　caught　by　the　leg；
his　fate　would　be　doubtful；　though　he　would　probably　die　under　the
steadily　growing　torment　of　the　merciless　iron　jaws；　as　they　pressed
ever　deeper　into　the　sore　fl