[dsn_klr650] bears...nklr -mo stories
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ephilride@aol.com
- Posts: 302
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2000 6:38 am
[dsn_klr650] bears...nklr -mo stories
ajax@... writes:
>>
Lewis and Clark 1805
Lewis had seen the first grizzly sign on April 13. "The men as well as
ourselves are anxious to meet with some of these bears," he then recorded.
The Indians had given the white men "a very formidable account of the
strength and ferocity of this anamal," but Lewis had discounted the
information, because the Indians had only bows and arrows or "indifferent
guns" with which the traders furnish them........ It gave him a bit of a
pause that the Indians, before attacking a grizzly went through all the
rituals they commonly used before going on a war party; still he, Clark, and
the men had faith in their long rifles and were eager to challenge the
grizzly.
....Three days later, there was another battle between bear and party. The
six men in the two rear canoes saw a bear on the bank. They put to shore and
planned their attack in some detail. They sneaked up to within 40 yards of
the enemy without being spotted. Four men fired simultaneously, while two
soldiers held their rifles in reserve. All four balls hit the mark... the
bear rose with a roar.... The two-man reserve force fired.......one bullet
breaking the shoulder, this, however only slowed him for an instant.
The men took flight........ hiding and reloading, They hit him several more
times, but that only let him know where they were hidden ........ finally
shot him through the head and killed him. Examination revealed that eight
balls had passed through the bear. Lewis wrote of another bear, "a most
tremendous looking anamal, and extreemly hard to kill notwithstanding he had
five balls through his lungs and five others in various parts ......swan the
river.... and it was at least 20 minutes before he died, (he) made the most
tremendous roaring from the moment he was shot."
And lastly, my favorite; Lewis wrote, " I find that the curiossity of our
party is pretty well satisfyed with rispect to this anamal." They no longer
sought to confront the grizzly.
From "Undaunted Courage by Steven Ambrose.
Knot - legendary tar changer and bar story re-teller.
ps: If you are wondering why they killed these bears, it was for food.
These hardy men consumed an estimated 9 pounds of meat a day!
pss: spelling per Lewis