hunting the grisly and other sketches-第14部分

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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　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　ja