hunting the grisly and other sketches-第18章

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resting　in　thick　brush　some　one　suddenly　stumbles　on　him　close　up　he
pursues　the　same　course；　less　from　anger　than　from　fear；　being
surprised　and　startled。　Moreover；　if　attacked　at　close　quarters　by　men
and　dogs　he　strikes　right　and　left　in　defence。

Sometimes　what　is　called　a　charge　is　rather　an　effort　to　get　away。　In
localities　where　he　has　been　hunted；　a　bear；　like　every　other　kind　of
game；　is　always　on　the　look…out　for　an　attack；　and　is　prepared　at　any
moment　for　immediate　flight。　He　seems　ever　to　have　in　his　mind；
whether　feeding；　sunning　himself；　or　merely　roaming　around；　the
directionusually　towards　the　thickest　cover　or　most　broken　ground
in　which　he　intends　to　run　if　molested。　When　shot　at　he　instantly
starts　towards　this　place；　or　he　may　be　so　confused　that　he　simply
runs　he　knows　not　whither；　and　in　either　event　he　may　take　a　line　that
leads　almost　directly　to　or　by　the　hunter；　although　he　had　at　first　no
thought　of　charging。　In　such　a　case　he　usually　strikes　a　single　knock…
down　blow　and　gallops　on　without　halting；　though　that　one　blow　may
have　taken　life。　If　the　claws　are　long　and　fairly　sharp　（as　in　early
spring；　or　even　in　the　fall；　if　the　animal　has　been　working　over　soft
ground）　they　add　immensely　to　the　effect　of　the　blow；　for　they　cut
like　blunt　axes。　Often；　however；　late　in　the　season；　and　if　the　ground
has　been　dry　and　hard；　or　rocky；　the　claws　are　worn　down　nearly　to　the
quick；　and　the　blow　is　then　given　mainly　with　the　under　side　of　the
paw；　although　even　under　this　disadvantage　a　thump　from　a　big　bear
will　down　a　horse　or　smash　in　a　man's　breast。　The　hunter　Hofer　once
lost　a　horse　in　this　manner。　He　shot　at　and　wounded　a　bear　which
rushed　off；　as　ill　luck　would　have　it；　past　the　place　where　his　horse
was　picketed；　probably　more　in　fright　than　in　anger　it　struck　the　poor
beast　a　blow　which；　in　the　end；　proved　mortal。

If　a　bear　means　mischief　and　charges　not　to　escape　but　to　do　damage；
its　aim　is　to　grapple　with　or　throw　down　its　foe　and　bite　him　to
death。　The　charge　is　made　at　a　gallop；　the　animal　sometimes　coming　on
silently；　with　the　mouth　shut；　and　sometimes　with　the　jaws　open；　the
lips　drawn　back　and　teeth　showing；　uttering　at　the　same　time　a
succession　of　roars　or　of　savage　rasping　snarls。　Certain　bears　charge
without　any　bluster　and　perfectly　straight；　while　others　first
threaten　and　bully；　and　even　when　charging　stop　to　growl；　shake　the
head　and　bite　at　a　bush　or　knock　holes　in　the　ground　with　their　fore…
paws。　Again；　some　of　them　charge　home　with　a　ferocious　resolution
which　their　extreme　tenacity　of　life　renders　especially　dangerous；
while　others　can　be　turned　or　driven　back　even　by　a　shot　which　is　not
mortal。　They　show　the　same　variability　in　their　behavior　when　wounded。
Often　a　big　bear；　especially　if　charging；　will　receive　a　bullet　in
perfect　silence；　without　flinching　or　seeming　to　pay　any　heed　to　it；
while　another　will　cry　out　and　tumble　about；　and　if　charging；　even
though　it　may　not　abandon　the　attack；　will　pause　for　a　moment　to　whine
or　bite　at　the　wound。

Sometimes　a　single　bite　causes　death。　One　of　the　most　successful　bear
hunters　I　ever　knew；　an　old　fellow　whose　real　name　I　never　heard　as　he
was　always　called　Old　Ike；　was　killed　in　this　way　in　the　spring　or
early　summer　of　1886　on　one　of　the　head…waters　of　the　Salmon。　He　was　a
very　good　shot；　had　killed　nearly　a　hundred　bears　with　the　rifle；　and；
although　often　charged；　had　never　met　with　any　accident；　so　that　he
had　grown　somewhat　careless。　On　the　day　in　question　he　had　met　a
couple　of　mining　prospectors　and　was　travelling　with　them；　when　a
grisly　crossed　his　path。　The　old　hunter　immediately　ran　after　it；
rapidly　gaining；　as　the　bear　did　not　hurry　when　it　saw　itself　pursued；
but　slouched　slowly　forwards；　occasionally　turning　its　head　to　grin
and　growl。　It　soon　went　into　a　dense　grove　of　young　spruce；　and　as　the
hunter　reached　the　edge　it　charged　fiercely　out。　He　fired　one　hasty
shot；　evidently　wounding　the　animal；　but　not　seriously　enough　to　stop
or　cripple　it；　and　as　his　two　companions　ran　forward　they　saw　the　bear
seize　him　with　its　wide…spread　jaws；　forcing　him　to　the　ground。　They
shouted　and　fired；　and　the　beast　abandoned　the　fallen　man　on　the
instant　and　sullenly　retreated　into　the　spruce　thicket；　whither　they
dared　not　follow　it。　Their　friend　was　at　his　last　gasp；　for　the　whole
side　of　the　chest　had　been　crushed　in　by　the　one　bite；　the　lungs
showing　between　the　rent　ribs。

Very　often；　however；　a　bear　does　not　kill　a　man　by　one　bite；　but　after
throwing　him　lies　on　him；　biting　him　to　death。　Usually；　if　no
assistance　is　at　hand；　such　a　man　is　doomed；　although　if　he　pretends
to　be　dead；　and　has　the　nerve　to　lie　quiet　under　very　rough　treatment；
it　is　just　possible　that　the　bear　may　leave　him　alive；　perhaps　after
half　burying　what　it　believes　to　be　the　body。　In　a　very　few
exceptional　instances　men　of　extraordinary　prowess　with　the　knife　have
succeeded　in　beating　off　a　bear；　and　even　in　mortally　wounding　it；　but
in　most　cases　a　single…handed　struggle；　at　close　quarters；　with　a
grisly　bent　on　mischief；　means　death。

Occasionally　the　bear；　although　vicious；　is　also　frightened；　and
passes　on　after　giving　one　or　two　bites；　and　frequently　a　man　who　is
knocked　down　is　rescued　by　his　friends　before　he　is　killed；　the　big
beast　mayhap　using　his　weapons　with　clumsiness。　So　a　bear　may　kill　a
foe　with　a　single　blow　of　its　mighty　fore…arm；　either　crushing　in　the
head　or　chest　by　sheer　force　of　sinew；　or　else　tearing　open　the　body
with　its　formidable　claws；　and　so　on　the　other　hand　he　may；　and　often
does；　merely　disfigure　or　maim　the　foe　by　a　hurried　stroke。　Hence　it
is　common　to　see　men　who　have　escaped　the　clutches　of　a　grisly；　but
only　at　the　cost　of　features　marred　beyond　recognition；　or　a　body
rendered　almost　helpless　for　life。　Almost　every　old　resident　of
western　Montana　or　northern　Idaho　has　known　two　or　three　unfortunates
who　have　suffered　in　this　manner。　I　have　myself　met　one　such　man　in
Helena；　and　another　in　Missoula；　both　were　living　at　least　as　late　as
1889；　the　date　at　which　I　last　saw　them。　One　had　been　partially
scalped　by　a　bear's　teeth；　the　animal　was　very　old　and　so　the　fangs
did　not　enter　the　skull。　The　other　had　been　bitten　across　the　face；
and　the　wounds　never　entirely　healed；　so　that　his　disfigured　visage
was　hideous　to　behold。

Most　of　these　accidents　occur　in　following　a　wounded　or　worried　bear
into　thick　cover；　and　under　such　circumstances　an　animal　apparently
hopelessly　disabled；　or　in　the　death　throes；　may　with　a　last　effort
kill　one　or　more　of　its　assailants。　In　1874　my　wife's　uncle；　Captain
Alexander　Moore；　U。　S。　A。；　and　my　friend　Captain　Bates；　with　some　men
of　the　2nd　and　3rd　Cavalry；　were　scouting　in　Wyoming；　near　the
Freezeout　Mountains。　One　morning　they　roused　a　bear　in　the　open
prairie　and　followed　it　at　full　speed　as　it　ran　towards　a　small　creek。
At　one　spot　in　the　creek　beavers　had　built　a　dam；　and　as　usual　in　such
places　there　was　a　thick　growth　of　bushes　and　willow　saplings。　Just　as
the　bear　reached　the　edge　of　this　little　jungle　it　was　struck　by
several　balls；　both　of　its　forelegs　being　broken。　Nevertheless；　it
managed　to　shove　itself　forward　on　its　hind…legs；　and　partly　rolled；
partly　pushed　itself　into　the　thicket；　the　bushes　though　low　being　so
dense　that　its　body　was　at　once　completely　hidden。　The　thicket　was　a
mere　patch　of　brush；　not　twenty　yards　across　in　any　direction。　The
leading　troopers　reached　the　edge　almost　as　the　bear　tumbled　in。　One
of　them；　a　tall　and　powerful　man　named　Miller；　instantly　dismounted
and　prepared　to　force　his　way　in　among　the　dwarfed　willows；　which　were
but　breast…high。　Among　the　men　who　had　ridden　up　were　Moore　and　Bates；
and　also　the　two　famous　scouts；　Buffalo　Billlong　a　companion　of
Captain　Moore；and　California　Joe；　Custer's　faithful　follower。
California　Joe　had　spent　almost　all　his　life　on　the　plains　and　in　the
mountains；　as　a　hunter　and　Indian　fighter；　and　when　he　saw　the　trooper
about　to　rush　into　the　thicket　he　called　out　to　him　not　to　do　so；
warning　him　of　the　danger。　But　the　man　was　a　very　reckless　fellow　and
he　answered　by　jeering　at　the　old　hunter