On Approaching These Two,
Both Captain Lewis And The Hunter Fired, And Each Wounded A Bear.
One Of Them Made
His escape; the other turned upon Captain Lewis and pursued
him seventy or eighty yards, but being badly wounded the
Bear could not
run so fast as to prevent him from reloading his piece, which be again
aimed at him, and a third shot from the hunter brought him to the ground.
He was a male, not quite full grown, and weighed about three hundred pounds.
The legs are somewhat longer than those of the black bear, and the talons
and tusks much larger and longer. Its color is a yellowish-brown;
the eyes are small, black, and piercing; the front of the fore legs near
the feet is usually black, and the fur is finer, thicker, and deeper
than that of the black bear. Add to which, it is a more furious animal,
and very remarkable for the wounds which it will bear without dying."
Next day, the hunter killed the largest elk which they had ever seen.
It stood five feet three inches high from hoof to shoulder.
Antelopes were also numerous, but lean, and not very good for food.
Of the antelope the journal says: -
"These fleet and quick-sighted animals are generally the victims
of their curiosity. When they first see the hunters, they run with
great velocity; if he lies down on the ground, and lifts up his arm,
his hat, or his foot, they return with a light trot to look at the object,
and sometimes go and return two or three times, till they approach
within reach of the rifle. So, too, they sometimes leave their flock
to go and look at the wolves, which crouch down, and, if the antelope
is frightened at first, repeat the same manoevre, and sometimes relieve
each other, till they decoy it from the party, when they seize it.
But, generally, the wolves take them as they are crossing the rivers;
for, although swift on foot, they are not good swimmers."
Later wayfarers across the plains were wont to beguile the antelope by
fastening a bright-colored handkerchief to a ramrod stuck in the ground.
The patient hunter was certain to be rewarded by the antelope coming
within range of his rifle; for, unless scared off by some interference,
the herd, after galloping around and around and much zigzagging,
would certainly seek to gratify their curiosity by gradually circling
nearer and nearer the strange object until a deadly shot or two sent
havoc into their ranks.
May came on cold and windy, and on the second of the month,
the journal records that snow fell to the depth of an inch,
contrasting strangely with the advanced vegetation.
"Our game to-day," proceeds the journal, "were deer, elk, and buffalo:
we also procured three beaver. They were here quite gentle,
as they have not been hunted; but when the hunters are in pursuit,
they never leave their huts during the day.
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