24 SPOR TIXG A D I 'JI 



yet it is not unusual to see an old male out in search of 

 food during 1 the eoldest weather, but I doubt it' one ever saw 

 cnbs or gravid females. To encounter the animal during these 

 expeditions in search of pabulum is a dangerous matter, as it 

 will not hesitate a moment to attack anything living, from a man 

 to a mouse, and the one is of about as much consequence to it as 

 the other, for it can crush the former at once with a blow from 

 its powerful paw or the pressure of its massive jaws. It will, 

 in ordinary cases, avoid an encounter with man, unless startled 

 suddenly or cornered; but when it is hungry, angry, or suffer- 

 ing from petulance during the rutting season, it seems to lose 

 its fear of everything, and to be ready to fight without the 

 least provocation. When surprised, it rises with a deep, gruff, 

 bass-dmm-like "huf, huf," that recalls the giants of the fairy 

 tales; and when it commences an attack it charges vigorously. 

 Notwithstanding its clumsy form it can run rapidly, owing to 

 its enormous strength, and woe betide the man who cannot 

 then find a tree convenient, for that is his only refuge, if he is 

 alone, as the grizzly cannot climb, owing, according to the 

 assertions of the Indians, to the form of its claws. It can 

 climb trees when young, however, so its great weight may 

 have something to do with its inability to accomplish such a 

 feat at adult age. Should a man seek safety even in a tree he 



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is liable to be made a prisoner for several hours, for the bear 

 will not, it is said by hunters, leave until night sets in or it 

 becomes hungry. 



Should a person meet it suddenly when he is alone, he should 

 not run unless he could do so with some assurance of success, 

 for it is almost sure to pursue if it is at all within convenient 

 distance. The best thing in that case would be to try the 

 effect of a few screams, for, great and powerful as the grizzly 

 is, it is very much afraid of the human voice, and often flees 

 from it. It has been known to turn tail and run, even when 

 preparing to attack, on hearing the terrified screams of a man; 

 and I heard of a woman in Siskiyou County, California, who 

 caused a female grizzly and her two cubs to beat a rapid 

 retreat by shouting lustily at them when the former began to 

 show signs of being dangerous. An unusual noise of anv 



