hunting the grisly and other sketches-第17章

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by　the　approach　of　the　hunter　from　his　day　bed；　and　charging　headlong
at　them　from　a　distance　of　twenty　or　thirty　paces。　All　three　bears
were　killed　before　they　could　do　any　damage。　There　was　a　very
remarkable　incident　connected　with　the　killing　of　one　of　them。　It
occurred　in　the　northern　spurs　of　the　Bighorn　range。　Dr。　Merrill；　in
company　with　an　old　hunter；　had　climbed　down　into　a　deep；　narrow
canyon。　The　bottom　was　threaded　with　well…beaten　elk　trails。　While
following　one　of　these　the　two　men　turned　a　corner　of　the　canyon　and
were　instantly　charged　by　an　old　she…grisly；　so　close　that　it　was　only
by　good　luck　that　one　of　the　hurried　shots　disabled　her　and　caused　her
to　tumble　over　a　cut　bank　where　she　was　easily　finished。　They　found
that　she　had　been　lying　directly　across　the　game　trail；　on　a　smooth
well　beaten　patch　of　bare　earth；　which　looked　as　if　it　had　been　dug
up；　refilled；　and　trampled　down。　Looking　curiously　at　this　patch　they
saw　a　bit　of　hide　only　partially　covered　at　one　end；　digging　down　they
found　the　body　of　a　well　grown　grisly　cub。　Its　skull　had　been　crushed；
and　the　brains　licked　out；　and　there　were　signs　of　other　injuries。　The
hunters　pondered　long　over　this　strange　discovery；　and　hazarded　many
guesses　as　to　its　meaning。　At　last　they　decided　that　probably　the　cub
had　been　killed；　and　its　brains　eaten　out；　either　by　some　old　male…
grisly　or　by　a　cougar；　that　the　mother　had　returned　and　driven　away
the　murderer；　and　that　she　had　then　buried　the　body　and　lain　above　it；
waiting　to　wreak　her　vengeance　on　the　first　passer…by。

Old　Tazewell　Woody；　during　his　thirty　years'　life　as　a　hunter　in　the
Rockies　and　on　the　great　plains；　killed　very　many　grislies。　He　always
exercised　much　caution　in　dealing　with　them；　and；　as　it　happened；　he
was　by　some　suitable　tree　in　almost　every　case　when　he　was　charged。　He
would　accordingly　climb　the　tree　（a　practice　of　which　I　do　not　approve
however）；　and　the　bear　would　look　up　at　him　and　pass　on　without
stopping。　Once；　when　he　was　hunting　in　the　mountains　with　a　companion；
the　latter；　who　was　down　in　a　valley；　while　Woody　was　on　the　hill…
side；　shot　at　a　bear。　The　first　thing　Woody　knew　the　wounded　grisly；
running　up…hill；　was　almost　on　him　from　behind。　As　he　turned　it　seized
his　rifle　in　its　jaws。　He　wrenched　the　rifle　round；　while　the　bear
still　gripped　it；　and　pulled　trigger；　sending　a　bullet　into　its
shoulder；　whereupon　it　struck　him　with　its　paw；　and　knocked　him　over
the　rocks。　By　good　luck　he　fell　in　a　snow　bank　and　was　not　hurt　in　the
least。　Meanwhile　the　bear　went　on　and　they　never　got　it。

Once　he　had　an　experience　with　a　bear　which　showed　a　very　curious
mixture　of　rashness　and　cowardice。　He　and　a　companion　were　camped　in　a
little　tepee　or　wigwam；　with　a　bright　fire　in　front　of　it；　lighting　up
the　night。　There　was　an　inch　of　snow　on　the　ground。　Just　after　they
went　to　bed　a　grisly　came　close　to　camp。　Their　dog　rushed　out　and　they
could　hear　it　bark　round　in　the　darkness　for　nearly　an　hour；　then　the
bear　drove　it　off　and　came　right　into　camp。　It　went　close　to　the　fire；
picking　up　the　scraps　of　meat　and　bread；　pulled　a　haunch　of　venison
down　from　a　tree；　and　passed　and　repassed　in　front　of　the　tepee；
paying　no　heed　whatever　to　the　two　men；　who　crouched　in　the　doorway
talking　to　one　another。　Once　it　passed　so　close　that　Woody　could
almost　have　touched　it。　Finally　his　companion　fired　into　it；　and　off
it　ran；　badly　wounded；　without　an　attempt　at　retaliation。　Next　morning
they　followed　its　tracks　in　the　snow；　and　found　it　a　quarter　or　a　mile
away。　It　was　near　a　pine　and　had　buried　itself　under　the　loose　earth；
pine　needles；　and　snow；　Woody's　companion　almost　walked　over　it；　and
putting　his　rifle　to　its　ear　blew　out　its　brains。

In　all　his　experience　Woody　had　personally　seen　but　four　men　who　were
badly　mauled　by　bears。　Three　of　these　were　merely　wounded。　One　was
bitten　terribly　in　the　back。　Another　had　an　arm　partially　chewed　off。
The　third　was　a　man　named　George　Dow；　and　the　accident　happened　to　him
on　the　Yellowstone　about　the　year　1878。　He　was　with　a　pack　animal　at
the　time；　leading　it　on　a　trail　through　a　wood。　Seeing　a　big　she…bear
with　cubs　he　yelled　at　her；　whereat　she　ran　away；　but　only　to　cache
her　cubs；　and　in　a　minute；　having　hidden　them；　came　racing　back　at
him。　His　pack　animal　being　slow　he　started　to　climb　a　tree；　but　before
he　could　get　far　enough　up　she　caught　him；　almost　biting　a　piece　out
of　the　calf　of　his　leg；　pulled　him　down；　bit　and　cuffed　him　two　or
three　times；　and　then　went　on　her　way。

The　only　time　Woody　ever　saw　a　man　killed　by　a　bear　was　once　when　he
had　given　a　touch　of　variety　to　his　life　by　shipping　on　a　New　Bedford
whaler　which　had　touched　at　one　of　the　Puget　Sound　ports。　The　whaler
went　up　to　a　part　of　Alaska　where　bears　were　very　plentiful　and　bold。
One　day　a　couple　of　boats'　crews　landed；　and　the　men；　who　were　armed
only　with　an　occasional　harpoon　or　lance；　scattered　over　the　beach；
one　of　them；　a　Frenchman；　wading　into　the　water　after　shell…fish。
Suddenly　a　bear　emerged　from　some　bushes　and　charged　among　the
astonished　sailors；　who　scattered　in　every　direction；　but　the　bear；
said　Woody；　〃just　had　it　in　for　that　Frenchman；〃　and　went　straight　at
him。　Shrieking　with　terror　he　retreated　up　to　his　neck　in　the　water；
but　the　bear　plunged　in　after　him；　caught　him；　and　disembowelled　him。
One　of　the　Yankee　mates　then　fired　a　bomb　lance　into　the　bear's　hips；
and　the　savage　beast　hobbled　off　into　the　dense　cover　of　the　low
scrub；　where　the　enraged　sailor　folk　were　unable　to　get　at　it。

The　truth　is　that　while　the　grisly　generally　avoids　a　battle　if
possible；　and　often　acts　with　great　cowardice；　it　is　never　safe　to
take　liberties　with　him；　he　usually　fights　desperately　and　dies　hard
when　wounded　and　cornered；　and　exceptional　individuals　take　the
aggressive　on　small　provocation。

During　the　years　I　lived　on　the　frontier　I　came　in　contact　with　many
persons　who　had　been　severely　mauled　or　even　crippled　for　life　by
grislies；　and　a　number　of　cases　where　they　killed　men　outright　were
also　brought　under　my　ken。　Generally　these　accidents；　as　was　natural；
occurred　to　hunters　who　had　roused　or　wounded　the　game。

A　fighting　bear　sometimes　uses　his　claws　and　sometimes　his　teeth。　I
have　never　known　one　to　attempt　to　kill　an　antagonist　by　hugging；　in
spite　of　the　popular　belief　to　this　effect；　though　he　will　sometimes
draw　an　enemy　towards　him　with　his　paws　the　better　to　reach　him　with
his　teeth；　and　to　hold　him　so　that　he　cannot　escape　from　the　biting。
Nor　does　the　bear　often　advance　on　his　hind　legs　to　the　attack；
though；　if　the　man　has　come　close　to　him　in　thick　underbrush；　or　has
stumbled　on　him　in　his　lair　unawares；　he　will　often　rise　up　in　this
fashion　and　strike　a　single　blow。　He　will　also　rise　in　clinching　with
a　man　on　horseback。　In　1882　a　mounted　Indian　was　killed　in　this　manner
on　one　of　the　river　bottoms　some　miles　below　where　my　ranch　house　now
stands；　not　far　from　the　junction　of　the　Beaver　and　Little　Missouri。
The　bear　had　been　hunted　into　a　thicket　by　a　band　of　Indians；　in　whose
company　my　informant；　a　white　squaw…man；　with　whom　I　afterward　did
some　trading；　was　travelling。　One　of　them　in　the　excitement　of　the
pursuit　rode　across　the　end　of　the　thicket；　as　he　did　so　the　great
beast　sprang　at　him　with　wonderful　quickness；　rising　on　its　hind　legs；
and　knocking　over　the　horse　and　rider　with　a　single　sweep　of　its
terrible　fore…paws。　It　then　turned　on　the　fallen　man　and　tore　him
open；　and　though　the　other　Indians　came　promptly　to　his　rescue　and
slew　his　assailant；　they　were　not　in　time　to　save　their　comrade's
life。

A　bear　is　apt　to　rely　mainly　on　his　teeth　or　claws　according　to
whether　his　efforts　are　directed　primarily　to　killing　his　foe　or　to
making　good　his　own　escape。　In　the　latter　event　he　trusts　chiefly　to
his　claws。　If　cornered；　he　of　course　makes　a　rush　for　freedom；　and　in
that　case　he　downs　any　man　who　is　in　his　way　with　a　sweep　of　his　great
paw；　but　passes　on　without　stopping　to　bite　him。　If　while　sleeping　or
resting　in　thick　brush　some　one　suddenly　stumbles　on　him　close　up　he
pursues　the　same　course；　less　from　anger　than　from　fea