Defeated Big Grizzly

WHILE sitting around a campfire in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies a short time ago old Bill Ellis, the famous Rocky mountain guide, related a rather amusing experience he once had with a big grizzly to a party of tourists who were out after big game and health under his tutelage. The Incident he related took place in an Arizona canyon, and Bill didn't think it very funny at the time. "I was out lookin' after stock," said Mr. Ellis, "and had left my horse a short distance away, with all my shootin' irons on the saddle, when I saw a grizzly comin' in my direction. I at once started for a tree. Just as I started to climb that tree there was a roar from behind. I glanced around just in time to see a big wall of water come foamin' down the canyon, with sticks and brush a-dancin' on the white top of it just Ilke on a big wave at sea. "Then I realized that the bear was seekin' safety from a cloudburst and was payin' little attention to me. We both started to shin up together, the bear on the lower side, facin' the advancin' wall of water. "After ascendin' a few feet the grizzly in reachin' for a fresh hitch planted one of bis claws on the leg of my trousers, thus pinnin' me to the tree. He seemed in no hurry to move on, waitin' patiently for the water to assist him on his upward course. The old sinner had doubtless been in cloudbursts before and knew also that he could not climb a tree without assistance.

"But suppose be wouldn't climb fast enough when the water came? He could stick his nose a yard higher than I could and last longer on a single breath too. Just above us was a fork in the tree, and I hoped to reach that. In another moment the water came a-roarin' on us and pasted me so fast in the tree that I couldn't climb if I wanted to. At the same time it pulled the bear away on the other side so hard that he stuck his claws deeper in the bark to get a firmer hold.

"And then the water began to rise, and the bear began to feel like climbin' higher, as I did, and took his foot loose Just in time to let me get my nose out of water. I got my leg out of the way before he could snag it again, and by pushin' back, I managed to get away from the tree far enough to shove up a bit. With a desperate effort I made it, and then the water pasted me fast against the tree again, and I found my nose a-pokin' in one side of that crotch, while the black snoot of the bear was a-pokin' in the other way. And the worst of it was there was no use in tryin' to go any higher, for the crotch widened out, while the forks were so much thinner that if the bear kep' on climbin' the other side he'd have his claws pretty near the middle of my back.

"All this time driftwood of one kind and another was pilin' up my back and buildin' a necklace around my throat, and once in awhlle an extra big piece would come dancin' against my back and shove me forward no that I almost touched noses with the bear. Then he would growl and show his teeth.

"Just then I happened to think of my knife. My hands were free, for the current was holdin' me in place against the tree tight enough. I had a good pocket knife. I thought that I might get a jab in that would cause his bearship to loosen his hold. But when I raised my knife he followed every movement and growled savagely. Then I waited awhile.

"Things were gettin' serious. It was gettin' time for the water to go down, but it wasn't goin' down, but stil risin' a bit, and if it rose just a little more we would both have to shift up higher on that tree. How much nearer that would bring the bear wasn't a matter of guesswork, but of too plain a certainty.

"Finally I made another attempt to stick him in the nose. I had to be very careful, for he was watchin' every move. By careful Figurin' I got a fine thrust In one of the red nostril of his black muzzle. The bear roared in anger and struck at me with one of his huge claws, but the branches prevented him from reachin' me.

"Again I jabbed, and then he went wild. With a roar that drowned the noise of the ragin' waters he raised both paws to come at me, but his rage had caused him to forget the swiftly flowin' current, and the Instant he released his hold of the tree he was torn away, and the last I saw of him he was disappearin' around the bend, buffeted by the furious waves and pounded against rocks. while he was bein' turned end over end among the trees and stumps that had been caught up by the sudden freshet. Whether he survived or not I never found out, but it is extremely doubtful.

"The water from the cloudburst subsided almost as rapidly as it came, and in about an hour I was able to descend and seek my horse, which I found quietly grazin' on the plateau above the canyon."