Unfortunately while thus walking
backwards the man struck a dead log and fell over it, whereupon the
beast instantly sprang on him and mortally wounded him before help
arrived.
On rare occasions men who are not at the time hunting it fall victims to
the grisly. This is usually because they stumble on it unawares and the
animal attacks them more in fear than in anger. One such case, resulting
fatally, occurred near my own ranch. The man walked almost over a bear
while crossing a little point of brush, in a bend of the river, and was
brained with a single blow of the paw. In another instance which came
to my knowledge the man escaped with a shaking up, and without even a
fight. His name was Perkins, and he was out gathering huckleberries in
the woods on a mountain side near Pend'Oreille Lake. Suddenly he was
sent flying head over heels, by a blow which completely knocked the
breath out of his body; and so instantaneous was the whole affair that
all he could ever recollect about it was getting a vague glimpse of the
bear just as he was bowled over.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149