hunting the grisly and other sketches-第20章

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morning　on　the　prairie　far　from　cover。　There　were　eight　or　ten　cowboys
together　at　the　time；　just　starting　off　on　a　long　circle；　and　of
course　they　all　got　down　their　ropes　in　a　second；　and　putting　spurs　to
their　fiery　little　horses　started　toward　the　bears　at　a　run；　shouting
and　swinging　their　loops　round　their　heads。　For　a　moment　the　old　she
tried　to　bluster　and　made　a　half…hearted　threat　of　charging；　but　her
courage　failed　before　the　rapid　onslaught　of　her　yelling；　rope…
swinging　assailants；　and　she　took　to　her　heels　and　galloped　off；
leaving　the　cubs　to　shift　for　themselves。　The　cowboys　were　close
behind；　however；　and　after　half　a　mile's　run　she　bolted　into　a　shallow
cave　or　hole　in　the　side　of　a　butte；　where　she　stayed　cowering　and
growling；　until　one　of　the　men　leaped　off　his　horse；　ran　up　to　the
edge　of　the　hole；　and　killed　her　with　a　single　bullet　from　his
revolver；　fired　so　close　that　the　powder　burned　her　hair。　The
unfortunate　cubs　were　roped；　and　then　so　dragged　about　that　they　were
speedily　killed　instead　of　being　brought　alive　to　camp；　as　ought　to
have　been　done。

In　the　cases　mentioned　above　the　grisly　attacked　only　after　having
been　itself　assailed；　or　because　it　feared　an　assault；　for　itself　or
for　its　young。　In　the　old　days；　however；　it　may　almost　be　said　that　a
grisly　was　more　apt　to　attack　than　to　flee。　Lewis　and　Clarke　and　the
early　explorers　who　immediately　succeeded　them；　as　well　as　the　first
hunters　and　trappers；　the　〃Rocky　Mountain　men〃　of　the　early　decades　of
the　present　century；　were　repeatedly　assailed　in　this　manner；　and　not
a　few　of　the　bear　hunters　of　that　period　found　that　it　was　unnecessary
to　take　much　trouble　about　approaching　their　quarry；　as　the　grisly　was
usually　prompt　to　accept　the　challenge　and　to　advance　of　its　own
accord；　as　soon　as　it　discovered　the　foe。　All　this　is　changed　now。　Yet
even　at　the　present　day　an　occasional　vicious　old　bear　may　be　found；
in　some　far…off　and　little…trod　fastness；　which　still　keeps　up　the
former　habit　of　its　kind。　All　old　hunters　have　tales　of　this　sort　to
relate；　the　prowess；　cunning；　strength；　and　ferocity　of　the　grisly
being　favorite　topics　for　camp…fire　talk　throughout　the　Rockies；　but
in　most　cases　it　is　not　safe　to　accept　these　stories　without　careful
sifting。

Still　it　is　just　as　unsafe　to　reject　them　all。　One　of　my　own　cowboys
was　once　attacked　by　a　grisly；　seemingly　in　pure　wantonness。　He　was
riding　up　a　creek　bottom　and　had　just　passed　a　clump　of　rose　and　bull…
berry　bushes　when　his　horse　gave　such　a　leap　as　almost　to　unseat　him；
and　then　darted　madly　forward。　Turning　round　in　the　saddle　to　his
utter　astonishment　he　saw　a　large　bear　galloping　after　him；　at　the
horse's　heels。　For　a　few　jumps　the　race　was　close；　then　the　horse　drew
away　and　the　bear　wheeled　and　went　into　a　thicket　of　wild　plums。　The
amazed　and　indignant　cowboy；　as　soon　as　he　could　rein　in　his　steed；
drew　his　revolver　and　rode　back　to　and　around　the　thicket；　endeavoring
to　provoke　his　late　pursuer　to　come　out　and　try　conclusions　on　more
equal　terms；　but　prudent　Ephraim　had　apparently　repented　of　his　freak
of　ferocious　bravado；　and　declined　to　leave　the　secure　shelter　of　the
jungle。

Other　attacks　are　of　a　much　more　explicable　nature。　Mr。　Huffman；　the
photographer　of　Miles　City；　informed　me　once　when　butchering　some
slaughtered　elk　he　was　charged　twice　by　a　she…bear　and　two　well…grown
cubs。　This　was　a　piece　of　sheer　bullying；　undertaken　solely　with　the
purpose　of　driving　away　the　man　and　feasting　on　the　carcasses；　for　in
each　charge　the　three　bears；　after　advancing　with　much　blustering；
roaring；　and　growling；　halted　just　before　coming　to　close　quarters。　In
another　instance　a　gentleman　I　once　knew；　a　Mr。　S。　Carr。　was　charged
by　a　grisly　from　mere　ill　temper　at　being　disturbed　at　mealtime。　The
man　was　riding　up　a　valley；　and　the　bear　was　at　an　elk　carcass；　near　a
clump　of　firs。　As　soon　as　it　became　aware　of　the　approach　of　the
horseman；　while　he　was　yet　over　a　hundred　yards　distant；　it　jumped　on
the　carcass；　looked　at　him　a　moment；　and　then　ran　straight　for　him。
There　was　no　particular　reason　why　it　should　have　charged；　for　it　was
fat　and　in　good　trim；　though　when　killed　its　head　showed　scars　made　by
the　teeth　of　rival　grislies。　Apparently　it　had　been　living　so　well；
principally　on　flesh；　that　it　had　become　quarrelsome；　and　perhaps　its
not　over　sweet　disposition　had　been　soured　by　combats　with　others　of
its　own　kind。　In　yet　another　case；　a　grisly　charged　with　even　less
excuse。　An　old　trapper；　from　whom　I　occasionally　bought　fur；　was
toiling　up　a　mountain　pass　when　he　spied　a　big　bear　sitting　on　his
haunches　on　the　hill…side　above。　The　trapper　shouted　and　waved　his
cap；　whereupon；　to　his　amazement；　the　bear　uttered　a　loud　〃wough〃　and
charged　straight　down　on　himonly　to　fall　a　victim　to　misplaced
boldness。

I　am　even　inclined　to　think　that　there　have　been　wholly　exceptional
occasions　when　a　grisly　has　attacked　a　man　with　the　deliberate　purpose
of　making　a　meal　of　him；　when；　in　other　words；　it　has　started　on　the
career　of　a　man…eater。　At　least；　on　any　other　theory　I　find　it
difficult　to　account　for　an　attack　which　once　came　to　my　knowledge。　I
was　at　Sand　point；　on　Pend'Oreille　Lake；　and　met　some　French　and　Meti
trappers；　then　in　town　with　their　bales　of　beaver；　otter；　and　sable。
One　of　them；　who　gave　his　name　as　Baptiste　Lamoche；　had　his　head
twisted　over　to　one　side；　the　result　of　the　bite　of　a　bear。　When　the
accident　occurred　he　was　out　on　a　trapping　trip　with　two　companions。
They　had　pitched　camp　right　on　the　shore　of　a　cove　in　a　little　lake；
and　his　comrades　were　off　fishing　in　a　dugout　or　pirogue。　He　himself
was　sitting　near　the　shore；　by　a　little　lean…to；　watching　some　beaver
meat　which　was　sizzling　over　the　dying　embers。　Suddenly；　and　without
warning；　a　great　bear；　which　had　crept　silently　up　beneath　the　shadows
of　the　tall　evergreens；　rushed　at　him；　with　a　guttural　roar；　and
seized　him　before　he　could　rise　to　his　feet。　It　grasped　him　with　its
jaws　at　the　junction　of　the　neck　and　shoulder；　making　the　teeth　meet
through　bone；　sinew；　and　muscle；　and　turning；　tracked　off　towards　the
forest；　dragging　with　it　the　helpless　and　paralyzed　victim。　Luckily
the　two　men　in　the　canoe　had　just　paddled　round　the　point；　in　sight
of；　and　close　to；　camp。　The　man　in　the　bow；　seeing　the　plight　of　their
comrade；　seized　his　rifle　and　fired　at　the　bear。　The　bullet　went
through　the　beast's　lungs；　and　it　forthwith　dropped　its　prey；　and
running　off　some　two　hundred　yards；　lay　down　on　its　side　and　died。　The
rescued　man　recovered　full　health　and　strength；　but　never　again
carried　his　head　straight。

Old　hunters　and　mountain…men　tell　many　stories；　not　only　of　malicious
grislies　thus　attacking　men　in　camp；　but　also　of　their　even　dogging
the　footsteps　of　some　solitary　hunter　and　killing　him　when　the
favorable　opportunity　occurs。　Most　of　these　tales　are　mere　fables；　but
it　is　possible　that　in　altogether　exceptional　instances　they　rest　on　a
foundation　of　fact。　One　old　hunter　whom　I　knew　told　me　such　a　story。
He　was　a　truthful　old　fellow　and　there　was　no　doubt　that　he　believed
what　he　said；　and　that　his　companion　was　actually　killed　by　a　bear；
but　it　is　probable　that　he　was　mistaken　in　reading　the　signs　of　his
comrade's　fate；　and　that　the　latter　was　not　dogged　by　the　bear　at　all；
but　stumbled　on　him　and　was　slain　in　the　surprise　of　the　moment。

At　any　rate；　cases　of　wanton　assaults　by　grislies　are　altogether　out
of　the　common。　The　ordinary　hunter　may　live　out　his　whole　life　in　the
wilderness　and　never　know　aught　of　a　bear　attacking　a　man　unprovoked；
and　the　great　majority　of　bears　are　shot　under　circumstances　of　no
special　excitement；　as　they　either　make　no　fight　at　all；　or；　if　they
do　fight；　are　killed　before　there　is　any　risk　of　their　doing　damage。
If　surprised　on　the　plains；　at　some　distance　from　timber　or　from　badly
broken　ground；　it　is　no　uncommon　feat　for　a　single　horseman　to　kill
them　with　a　revolver。　Twice　of　late　years　it　has　been　performed　in　the
neighborhood　of　my　ranch。　In　both　instances　the　men　were　not　hunters
out　after　game；　but　simply　cowboys；　riding　over　the　range　in　early
morning