Rocky Mountains. 51 



Several hunters were pursued by a grizzly bear, that gain- 

 ed rapidly upon them; a boy belonging to the party, who 

 possessed less speed than his companions, seeing the bear at 

 his heels fell with his face to the soil; the bear reared up on 

 his hind feet over the boy, looked down for a moment upon 

 him, then bounded over him in pursuit of the fugitives. 



A hunter just returned from a solitary excursion to the 

 Qui Court river, informed me at Engineer Cantonment, that 

 going one morning to examine his traps, he was pursued by 

 a bear, and had merely time to get into a small tree, when 

 the bear passed beneath him, and without halting or even 

 looking up, passed on at the same pace. 



Another hunter received a blow from the fore paw of one 

 of these animals, which destroyed his eye and cheek bone. 



In proof of the great muscular power with which this ani- 

 mal is endowed, a circumstance related to us by Mr. John 

 Dougherty, may be stated. He shot down a bison, and leav- 

 ing the carcass, went to obtain assistance to butcher it, but was 

 surprised on his return to find, that it had been dragged entire, 

 to a considerable distance, by one of these bears, and was 

 now lodged in a concavity of the earth, which the animal 

 had scooped out for its reception. 



Notwithstanding the formidable character of this bear, we 

 have not made use of any precautions against their attacks, 

 and although they have been several times prowling about us 

 in the night, they have not evinced any disposition to attack 

 us, at that season. 



They appear to be more readily intimidated by the voice, 

 than by the appearance of men. 



VOL. II. 



