122 HUNTING THE GRISLY. 



Tennessee, once did a feat which casts into 

 the shade even the feats of the men of the 

 lariat. General Jackson, who afterwards be- 

 came 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 3d 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 Co- 

 manche 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 Jack- 

 son 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 met- 

 tled Kentucky horse, which luckily had but 

 one eye. Riding at full speed he soon over- 

 took 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 rid- 

 ing his horse so that its blind side should be 

 towards the monster, the cavalryman swept 

 by at a run, handling his steed with such dar- 

 ing 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. 



