"AN OLD GRIZZLY." 807 



Some were killed near ' Green Springs/ on the 

 Stanislaus, in the winter of 1849-50, that were 

 nearly eight hundred pounds weight. I saw 

 many cubs at San Francisco, Sacramento city, 

 and Stockton, and even those not larger than 

 an ordinary sized dog showed evidence of their 

 future fierceness, as it required great patience to 

 render them gentle enough to be handled with 

 impunity as pets. In camping at night, my 

 friend Eobert Layton, and I, too, often thought 

 what sort of defence we could make should an 

 old fellow come smelling round our solitary tent 

 for supper; but as 'Old Kiley,' our pack-mule, 

 was always tied near, we used to quiet ourselves 

 with the idea that while Riley was snorting and 

 kicking, we might place a couple of well -aimed 

 balls from our old friend Miss Betsey, (as the 

 boys had christened my large gun,) so that our 

 revolvers, Colt's dragoon pistols, would give us 

 the victory ; but really a startling effect would 

 be produced by the snout of a grizzly bear be- 

 ing thrust into your tent, and your awaking at 

 the noise of the sniff he might take to induce 

 his appetite. 



" I was anxious to purchase a few of the beau- 

 tiful skins of this species, but those who had 

 killed * an old grizzly' said they would take his 

 skin hovie. It makes a first-rate bed under the 

 thin and worn blanket of the digger. 



