THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 65 



this idea, it moved toward the open ground at a rate of 

 speed that surprised me. We started in pursuit, and kept 

 delivering our fire at its back and head, being afraid to 

 range ourselves on its sides for fear we might shoot each 

 other. Finding this mode ineffective, Ave concluded to rush 

 past it, one at a time, and shoot at it with our heavy re- 

 volvers, then wheel back and give a return fire. I moved 

 first, through the courtesy of my companion, and delivered 

 two shots in rapid succession at its sides, hoping to crip- 

 ple it, and wheeling back on the opposite side, after run- 

 ning about a hundred yards ahead of it, got in two more. 

 These forced it to halt and growl terribly, as if in pain. 

 My companion did exactly as I had done, and we repeated 

 the movement until we had emptied our revolvers. The 

 animal had staggered three or four times, charged twice, 

 and fallen once, while this fusillade was taking place, and 

 finally halted, one of its shoulders having been broken. 

 This was the opportunity we wanted ; so, taking deliber- 

 ate aim at its head with our rifles, we fired, and it fell 

 dead in its tracks. An examination proved that it had 

 eight bullets in it, one of which was in the heart, one in 

 the fore-shoulder, two in the skull, and the remainder scat- 

 tered over the body. Those in the brain were what had 

 slain it, for one of them entered the occipital region and 

 broke the bone. We found it to be a full-grown male, but 

 it was very thin. My companion skinned it rapidly, and 

 kindly gave me the hide ; but, notwithstanding all my 

 pains with it, some red man is now probably using it, as 

 it was captured, with other cherished articles, by the In- 

 dians during one of their raids on a wagon-train. 



While accompanying a party of Indian scouts in the 

 Government service, on another occasion, I had a most un- 

 heroic contest with a grizzly, and one which might be left 

 untold but for the fact that it proves the affection of the 

 female for her cubs. After a hard day's march, the camp 

 was pitched in a pine forest on a high hill, and, when sup- 

 per was over and the horses were picketed, all retired to 

 rest except one vedette and a horse -guard of two men. 



