THREE NOTABLE MEN 269 



was a mad bear all through, and had only a 

 short piece of 'toggle' left. 



" 'Twas on a steep side-hill about a mile 

 back of his house, — the bear above and close 

 to the trapper. Kibbee opened fire and mor- 

 tally wounded him, but didn't stop him. 

 They had an awful fight, bare hands against 

 claws and teeth; finally the bear walked away 

 and died, but not before Kibbee had taken an- 

 other shot (an aimless one) at him. 



"Considering the mauling he'd had, that 

 last shot was a rare exhibition of grit. Dur- 

 ing the scuffle, Kibbee's efiforts were mainly 

 directed toward keeping the bear (who had 

 him down in the first round) from chewing 

 his throat, so his hands were covered with 

 tooth marks that entirely went through in a 

 number of places; both his arms, especially 

 the left, were badly mutilated, but his head 

 got the worst punishment. The right half of 

 his face, including the teeth, was torn away 

 and the scalp was fearfully lacerated. 



"Kibbee walked home and at once a man was 

 sent from a surveying party camped on the 

 beach for the doctor, twenty-two miles away, 

 who immediately set out on receipt of the 

 news. When the doctor arrived — at 4.30 

 A. M. — Kibbee could not articulate on account 



