hunting the grisly and other sketches-第21章

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out　after　game；　but　simply　cowboys；　riding　over　the　range　in　early
morning　in　pursuance　of　their　ordinary　duties　among　the　cattle。　I　knew
both　men　and　have　worked　with　them　on　the　round…up。　Like　most　cowboys；
they　carried　44…calibre　Colt　revolvers；　and　were　accustomed　to　and
fairly　expert　in　their　use；　and　they　were　mounted　on　ordinary　cow…
poniesquick；　wiry；　plucky　little　beasts。　In　one　case　the　bear　was
seen　from　quite　a　distance；　lounging　across　a　broad　table…land。　The
cowboy；　by　taking　advantage　of　a　winding　and　rather　shallow　coulie；
got　quite　close　to　him。　He　then　scrambled　out　of　the　coulie；　put　spurs
to　his　pony；　and　raced　up　to　within　fifty　yards　of　the　astonished　bear
ere　the　latter　quite　understood　what　it　was　that　was　running　at　him
through　the　gray　dawn。　He　made　no　attempt　at　fight；　but　ran　at　top
speed　towards　a　clump　of　brush　not　far　off　at　the　head　of　a　creek。
Before　he　could　reach　it；　however；　the　galloping　horsemen　was
alongside；　and　fired　three　shots　into　his　broad　back。　He　did　not　turn；
but　ran　on　into　the　bushes　and　then　fell　over　and　died。

In　the　other　case　the　cowboy；　a　Texan；　was　mounted　on　a　good　cutting
pony；　a　spirited；　handy；　agile　little　animal；　but　excitable；　and　with
a　habit　of　dancing；　which　rendered　it　difficult　to　shoot　from　its
back。　The　man　was　with　the　round…up　wagon；　and　had　been　sent　off　by
himself　to　make　a　circle　through　some　low；　barren　buttes；　where　it　was
not　thought　more　than　a　few　head　of　stock　would　be　found。　On　rounding
the　corner　of　a　small　washout　he　almost　ran　over　a　bear　which　was
feeding　on　the　carcass　of　a　steer　that　had　died　in　an　alkali　hole。
After　a　moment　of　stunned　surprise　the　bear　hurled　himself　at　the
intruder　with　furious　impetuosity；　while　the　cowboy；　wheeling　his
horse　on　its　haunches　and　dashing　in　the　spurs；　carried　it　just　clear
of　his　assailant's　headlong　rush。　After　a　few　springs　he　reined　in　and
once　more　wheeled　half　round；　having　drawn　his　revolver；　only　to　find
the　bear　again　charging　and　almost　on　him。　This　time　he　fired　into　it；
near　the　joining　of　the　neck　and　shoulder；　the　bullet　going　downwards
into　the　chest　hollow；　and　again　by　a　quick　dash　to　one　side　he　just
avoided　the　rush　of　the　beast　and　the　sweep　of　its　mighty　forepaw。　The
bear　then　halted　for　a　minute；　and　he　rode　close　by　it　at　a　run；
firing　a　couple　of　shots；　which　brought　on　another　resolute　charge。
The　ground　was　somewhat　rugged　and　broken；　but　his　pony　was　as　quick
on　its　feet　as　a　cat；　and　never　stumbled；　even　when　going　at　full
speed　to　avoid　the　bear's　first　mad　rushes。　It　speedily　became　so
excited；　however；　as　to　render　it　almost　impossible　for　the　rider　to
take　aim。　Sometimes　he　would　come　up　close　to　the　bear　and　wait　for　it
to　charge；　which　it　would　do；　first　at　a　trot；　or　rather　rack；　and
then　at　a　lumbering　but　swift　gallop；　and　he　would　fire　one　or　two
shots　before　being　forced　to　run。　At　other　times；　if　the　bear　stood
still　in　a　good　place；　he　would　run　by　it；　firing　as　he　rode。　He　spent
many　cartridges；　and　though　most　of　them　were　wasted　occasionally　a
bullet　went　home。　The　bear　fought　with　the　most　savage　courage；
champing　its　bloody　jaws；　roaring　with　rage；　and　looking　the　very
incarnation　of　evil　fury。　For　some　minutes　it　made　no　effort　to　flee；
either　charging　or　standing　at　bay。　Then　it　began　to　move　slowly
towards　a　patch　of　ash　and　wild　plums　in　the　head　of　a　coulie；　some
distance　off。　Its　pursuer　rode　after　it；　and　when　close　enough　would
push　by　it　and　fire；　while　the　bear　would　spin　quickly　round　and
charge　as　fiercely　as　ever；　though　evidently　beginning　to　grow　weak。
At　last；　when　still　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　from　cover　the　man　found
he　had　used　up　all　his　cartridges；　and　then　merely　followed　at　a　safe
distance。　The　bear　no　longer　paid　heed　to　him；　but　walked　slowly
forwards；　swaying　its　great　head　from　side　to　side；　while　the　blood
streamed　from　between　its　half…opened　jaws。　On　reaching　the　cover　he
could　tell　by　the　waving　of　the　bushes　that　it　walked　to　the　middle
and　then　halted。　A　few　minutes　afterwards　some　of　the　other　cowboys
rode　up；　having　been　attracted　by　the　incessant　firing。　They
surrounded　the　thicket；　firing　and　throwing　stones　into　the　bushes。
Finally；　as　nothing　moved；　they　ventured　in　and　found　the　indomitable
grisly　warrior　lying　dead。

Cowboys　delight　in　nothing　so　much　as　the　chance　to　show　their　skill
as　riders　and　ropers；　and　they　always　try　to　ride　down　and　rope　any
wild　animal　they　come　across　in　favorable　ground　and　close　enough　up。
If　a　party　of　them　meets　a　bear　in　the　open　they　have　great　fun；　and
the　struggle　between　the　shouting；　galloping；　rough…riders　and　their
shaggy　quarry　is　full　of　wild　excitement　and　not　unaccompanied　by
danger。　The　bear　often　throws　the　noose　from　his　head　so　rapidly　that
it　is　a　difficult　matter　to　catch　him；　and　his　frequent　charges
scatter　his　tormentors　in　every　direction　while　the　horses　become　wild
with　fright　over　the　roaring；　bristling　beastfor　horses　seem　to
dread　a　bear　more　than　any　other　animal。　If　the　bear　cannot　reach
cover；　however；　his　fate　is　sealed。　Sooner　or　later；　the　noose
tightens　over　one　leg；　or　perchance　over　the　neck　and　fore…paw；　and　as
the　rope　straightens　with　a　〃plunk；〃　the　horse　braces　itself
desperately　and　the　bear　tumbles　over。　Whether　he　regains　his　feet　or
not　the　cowboy　keeps　the　rope　taut；　soon　another　noose　tightens　over　a
leg；　and　the　bear　is　speedily　rendered　helpless。

I　have　known　of　these　feats　being　performed　several　times　in　northern
Wyoming；　although　never　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　my　ranch。　Mr。
Archibald　Roger's　cowhands　have　in　this　manner　caught　several　bears；
on　or　near　his　ranch　on　the　Gray　Bull；　which　flows　into　the　Bighorn；
and　those　of　Mr。　G。　B。　Grinnell　have　also　occasionally　done　so。　Any
set　of　moderately　good　ropers　and　riders；　who　are　accustomed　to　back
one　another　up　and　act　together；　can　accomplish　the　feat　if　they　have
smooth　ground　and　plenty　of　room。　It　is；　however；　indeed　a　feat　of
skill　and　daring　for　a　single　man；　and　yet　I　have　known　of　more　than
one　instance　in　which　it　has　been　accomplished　by　some　reckless　knight
of　the　rope　and　the　saddle。　One　such　occurred　in　1887　on　the　Flathead
Reservation；　the　hero　being　a　half…breed；　and　another　in　1890　at　the
mouth　of　the　Bighorn；　where　a　cowboy　roped；　bound；　and　killed　a　large
bear　single…handed。

My　friend　General　〃Red〃　Jackson；　of　Bellemeade；　in　the　pleasant　mid…
county　of　Tennessee；　once　did　a　feat　which　casts　into　the　shade　even
the　feats　of　the　men　of　the　lariat。　General　Jackson；　who　afterwards
became　one　of　the　ablest　and　most　renowned　of　the　Confederate　cavalry
leaders；　was　at　the　time　a　young　officer　in　the　Mounted　Rifle
Regiment；　now　known　as　the　3rd　United　States　Cavalry。　It　was　some
years　before　the　Civil　War；　and　the　regiment　was　on　duty　in　the
Southwest；　then　the　debatable　land　of　Comanche　and　Apache。　While　on　a
scout　after　hostile　Indians；　the　troops　in　their　march　roused　a　large
grisly　which　sped　off　across　the　plain　in　front　of　them。　Strict　orders
had　been　issued　against　firing　at　game；　because　of　the　nearness　of　the
Indians。　Young　Jackson　was　a　man　of　great　strength；　a　keen　swordsman；
who　always　kept　the　finest　edge　on　his　blade；　and　he　was　on　a　swift
and　mettled　Kentucky　horse；　which　luckily　had　but　one　eye。　Riding　at
full　speed　he　soon　overtook　the　quarry。　As　the　horse　hoofs　sounded
nearer；　the　grim　bear　ceased　its　flight；　and　whirling　round　stood　at
bay；　raising　itself　on　its　hind…legs　and　threatening　its　pursuer　with
bared　fangs　and　spread　claws。　Carefully　riding　his　horse　so　that　its
blind　side　should　be　towards　the　monster；　the　cavalryman　swept　by　at　a
run；　handling　his　steed　with　such　daring　skill　that　he　just　cleared
the　blow　of　the　dreaded　fore…paw；　while　with　one　mighty　sabre　stroke
he　cleft　the　bear's　skull；　slaying　the　grinning　beast　as　it　stood
upright。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　COUGAR。

No　animal　of　the　chase　is　so　difficult　to　kill　by　fair　still…hunting
as　the　cougarthat　beast　of　many　names；　known　in　the　East　as　panther
and　painter；　in　the　West　as　mountain　lion；　in　the　Southwest