hunting the grisly and other sketches-第19章

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warning　him　of　the　danger。　But　the　man　was　a　very　reckless　fellow　and
he　answered　by　jeering　at　the　old　hunter　for　his　over…caution　in　being
afraid　of　a　crippled　bear。　California　Joe　made　no　further　effort　to
dissuade　him；　remarking　quietly：　〃Very　well；　sonny；　go　in；　it's　your
own　affair。〃　Miller　then　leaped　off　the　bank　on　which　they　stood　and
strode　into　the　thicket；　holding　his　rifle　at　the　port。　Hardly　had　he
taken　three　steps　when　the　bear　rose　in　front　of　him；　roaring　with
rage　and　pain。　It　was　so　close　that　the　man　had　no　chance　to　fire。　Its
fore…arms　hung　useless　and　as　it　reared　unsteadily　on　its　hind…legs；
lunging　forward　at　him；　he　seized　it　by　the　ears　and　strove　to　hold　it
back。　His　strength　was　very　great；　and　he　actually　kept　the　huge　head
from　his　face　and　braced　himself　so　that　he　was　not　overthrown；　but
the　bear　twisted　its　muzzle　from　side　to　side；　biting　and　tearing　the
man's　arms　and　shoulders。　Another　soldier　jumping　down　slew　the　beast
with　a　single　bullet；　and　rescued　his　comrade；　but　though　alive　he　was
too　badly　hurt　to　recover　and　died　after　reaching　the　hospital。
Buffalo　Bill　was　given　the　bear…skin；　and　I　believe　has　it　now。

The　instances　in　which　hunters　who　have　rashly　followed　grislies　into
thick　cover　have　been　killed　or　severely　mauled　might　be　multiplied
indefinitely。　I　have　myself　known　of　eight　cases　in　which　men　have　met
their　deaths　in　this　manner。

It　occasionally　happens　that　a　cunning　old　grisly　will　lie　so　close
that　the　hunter　almost　steps　on　him；　and　he　then　rises　suddenly　with　a
loud；　coughing　growl　and　strikes　down　or　seizes　the　man　before　the
latter　can　fire　off　his　rifle。　More　rarely　a　bear　which　is　both
vicious　and　crafty　deliberately　permits　the　hunter　to　approach　fairly
near　to；　or　perhaps　pass　by；　its　hiding…place；　and　then　suddenly
charges　him　with　such　rapidity　that　he　has　barely　time　for　the　most
hurried　shot。　The　danger　in　such　a　case　is　of　course　great。

Ordinarily；　however；　even　in　the　brush；　the　bear's　object　is　to　slink
away；　not　to　fight；　and　very　many　are　killed　even　under　the　most
unfavorable　circumstances　without　accident。　If　an　unwounded　bear
thinks　itself　unobserved　it　is　not　apt　to　attack；　and　in　thick　cover
it　is　really　astonishing　to　see　how　one　of　these　large　animals　can
hide；　and　how　closely　it　will　lie　when　there　is　danger。　About　twelve
miles　below　my　ranch　there　are　some　large　river　bottoms　and　creek
bottoms　covered　with　a　matted　mass　of　cottonwood；　box…alders；　bull…
berry　bushes；　rosebushes；　ash；　wild　plums；　and　other　bushes。　These
bottoms　have　harbored　bears　ever　since　I　first　saw　them；　but；　though
often　in　company　with　a　large　party；　I　have　repeatedly　beaten　through
them；　and　though　we　must　at　times　have　been　very　near　indeed　to　the
game；　we　never　so　much　as　heard　it　run。

When　bears　are　shot；　as　they　usually　must　be；　in　open　timber　or　on　the
bare　mountain；　the　risk　is　very　much　less。　Hundreds　may　thus　be　killed
with　comparatively　little　danger；　yet　even　under　these　circumstances
they　will　often　charge；　and　sometimes　make　their　charge　good。　The
spice　of　danger；　especially　to　a　man　armed　with　a　good　repeating
rifle；　is　only　enough　to　add　zest　to　the　chase；　and　the　chief　triumph
is　in　outwitting　the　wary　quarry　and　getting　within　range。　Ordinarily
the　only　excitement　is　in　the　stalk；　the　bear　doing　nothing　more　than
keep　a　keen　look…out　and　manifest　the　utmost　anxiety　to　get　away。　As
is　but　natural；　accidents　occasionally　occur；　yet　they　are　usually　due
more　to　some　failure　in　man　or　weapon　than　to　the　prowess　of　the　bear。
A　good　hunter　whom　I　once　knew；　at　a　time　when　he　was　living　in　Butte；
received　fatal　injuries　from　a　bear　he　attacked　in　open　woodland。　The
beast　charged　after　the　first　shot；　but　slackened　its　pace　on　coming
almost　up　to　the　man。　The　latter's　gun　jambed；　and　as　he　was
endeavoring　to　work　it　he　kept　stepping　slowly　back；　facing　the　bear
which　followed　a　few　yards　distant；　snarling　and　threatening。
Unfortunately　while　thus　walking　backwards　the　man　struck　a　dead　log
and　fell　over　it；　whereupon　the　beast　instantly　sprang　on　him　and
mortally　wounded　him　before　help　arrived。

On　rare　occasions　men　who　are　not　at　the　time　hunting　it　fall　victims
to　the　grisly。　This　is　usually　because　they　stumble　on　it　unawares　and
the　animal　attacks　them　more　in　fear　than　in　anger。　One　such　case；
resulting　fatally；　occurred　near　my　own　ranch。　The　man　walked　almost
over　a　bear　while　crossing　a　little　point　of　brush；　in　a　bend　of　the
river；　and　was　brained　with　a　single　blow　of　the　paw。　In　another
instance　which　came　to　my　knowledge　the　man　escaped　with　a　shaking　up；
and　without　even　a　fight。　His　name　was　Perkins；　and　he　was　out
gathering　huckleberries　in　the　woods　on　a　mountain　side　near
Pend'Oreille　Lake。　Suddenly　he　was　sent　flying　head　over　heels；　by　a
blow　which　completely　knocked　the　breath　out　of　his　body；　and　so
instantaneous　was　the　whole　affair　that　all　he　could　ever　recollect
about　it　was　getting　a　vague　glimpse　of　the　bear　just　as　he　was　bowled
over。　When　he　came　to　he　found　himself　lying　some　distance　down　the
hill…side；　much　shaken；　and　without　his　berry　pail；　which　had　rolled　a
hundred　yards　below　him；　but　not　otherwise　the　worse　for　his
misadventure；　while　the　footprints　showed　that　the　bear；　after
delivering　the　single　hurried　stoke　at　the　unwitting　disturber　of　its
day…dreams；　had　run　off　up…hill　as　fast　as　it　was　able。

A　she…bear　with　cubs　is　a　proverbially　dangerous　beast；　yet　even　under
such　conditions　different　grislies　act　in　directly　opposite　ways。　Some
she…grislies；　when　their　cubs　are　young；　but　are　able　to　follow　them
about；　seem　always　worked　up　to　the　highest　pitch　of　anxious　and
jealous　rage；　so　that　they　are　likely　to　attack　unprovoked　any
intruder　or　even　passer…by。　Others　when　threatened　by　the　hunter　leave
their　cubs　to　their　fate　without　a　visible　qualm　of　any　kind；　and　seem
to　think　only　of　their　own　safety。

In　1882　Mr。　Casper　W。　Whitney；　now　of　New　York；　met　with　a　very
singular　adventure　with　a　she…bear　and　cub。　He　was　in　Harvard　when　I
was；　but　left　it　and；　like　a　good　many　other　Harvard　men　of　that　time；
took　to　cow…punching　in　the　West。　He　went　on　a　ranch　in　Rio　Arriba
County；　New　Mexico；　and　was　a　keen　hunter；　especially　fond　of　the
chase　of　cougar；　bear；　and　elk。　One　day　while　riding　a　stony　mountain
trail　he　saw　a　grisly　cub　watching　him　from　the　chaparral　above；　and
he　dismounted　to　try　to　capture　it；　his　rifle　was　a　40…90　Sharp's。
Just　as　he　neared　the　cub；　he　heard　a　growl　and　caught　a　glimpse　of
the　old　she；　and　he　at　once　turned　up…hill；　and　stood　under　some　tall；
quaking　aspens。　From　this　spot　he　fired　at　and　wounded　the　she；　then
seventy　yards　off；　and　she　charged　furiously。　He　hit　her　again；　but　as
she　kept　coming　like　a　thunderbolt　he　climbed　hastily　up　the　aspen；
dragging　his　gun　with　him；　as　it　had　a　strap。　When　the　bear　reached
the　foot　of　the　aspen　she　reared；　and　bit　and　clawed　the　slender
trunk；　shaking　it　for　a　moment；　and　he　shot　her　through　the　eye。　Off
she　sprang　for　a　few　yards；　and　then　spun　round　a　dozen　times；　as　if
dazed　or　partially　stunned；　for　the　bullet　had　not　touched　the　brain。
Then　the　vindictive　and　resolute　beast　came　back　to　the　tree　and　again
reared　up　against　it；　this　time　to　receive　a　bullet　that　dropped　her
lifeless。　Mr。　Whitney　then　climbed　down　and　walked　to　where　the　cub
had　been　sitting　as　a　looker…on。　The　little　animal　did　not　move　until
he　reached　out　his　hand；　when　it　suddenly　struck　at　him　like　an　angry
cat；　dove　into　the　bushes；　and　was　seen　no　more。

In　the　summer　of　1888　an　old…time　trapper；　named　Charley　Norton；　while
on　Loon　Creek；　of　the　middle　fork　of　the　Salmon；　meddled　with　a　she
and　her　cubs。　She　ran　at　him　and　with　one　blow　of　her　paw　almost
knocked　off　his　lower　jaw；　yet　he　recovered；　and　was　alive　when　I　last
heard　of　him。

Yet　the　very　next　spring　the　cowboys　with　my　own　wagon　on　the　Little
Missouri　round…up　killed　a　mother　bear　which　made　but　little　more
fight　than　a　coyote。　She　had　two　cubs；　and　was　surprised　in　the　early
morning　on　the　prairie　far　from　cover。　There　were　eight　or　ten　cowboys
together　at　the　time；　just　starting　o