ENCOUNTER WITH A GRIZZLY BEAK. 245 



grizzly bear of the North American prairies, for either 

 size, strength, or ferocity. The names of Ursus ferox and 

 V. horribilis, which have been given to it, re-echo the 

 prevailing ideas of its terrible character. Even the savage 

 bison, vast and mighty as he is, falls a prey to the grizzly 

 bear, which can drag the carcase, though a thousand 

 pounds in weight, to its haunt. Lewis and Clarke measured 

 one which was nine feet in length. 



The hunters and trappers of the Eocky Mountains 

 delight to tell, over their camp fires, stories of personal 

 encounters with this formidable savage. Many of these 

 stirring incidents have found their way into print, and 

 one of them I shall here condense. 



A Canadian named Villandrie, pursuing his occupation 

 of a free trapper on the Yellow-stone Eiver, had acquired 

 by his skill and daring the reputation of the best white 

 hunter in the region. One morning, when he was riding 

 out to have a look at his beaver traps, he had to break 

 his way through some thick bushes that grew on a high 

 bank above a small river. He was going along, pushing 

 back the twigs with the barrel of his rifle, and keeping 

 an eye on the bank, when all at once he found himself 

 close to an old she grizzly bear, which rose instantly and 

 dashed furiously at the horse, as he was struggling with 

 the shrubs and bushes. One blow of her colossal paw 

 was enough to break his back, and to throw Villandrie 

 down the bank, his rifle falling into the water. Three 

 half-grown cubs now occupied themselves with the poor 

 struggling horse, while the raging mother rushed towards 



