Chased By A Grizzly

CHASED BY A GRIZZLY.

Exciting Race of Two Bicyclists Down a Mountain Side.

Two cowboys from Grand Junction, Co!o., W. C. Caughman and J. C. Fraslier, who are making the trip to Alberta, N. W. T., on bicycles, have had some exciting experiences during the journey.

Near Crazy mountains, Montana, they were riding along the trail about dusk when, rounding a bend in the road, they almost ran into a bear and her cub, which were crossing the trail. Fraslier's wheel almost struck the cub, which emitted a squeal of fright as it half tumbled out of the way. The old bear was slightly in advance of the cub and had not heard the silently approaching men.

When the cub squealed she whirled around, with a roar, and made for the wheelmen. The cow punchers declare that their hair stood on end with fright, and they pedaled with all their strength. Fortunately for them the trail they were on was down grade, and they managed to get several feet the start of the old bear. Caughman was in the lead, and Fraslier's front tire was close to his rear one. The old bear was coming with a rush and straining every muscle, as they were. They could hear her terrible growling and the quick pad pad of her feet on the ground as she carne on. Fraslier had a revolver in his pocket, but he was unable to use it on the wheel. There was no use of trying to dismount and make a fight, for the grizzly was too close and apparently gaining at every jump. Their only hope was to pedal with all their strength.

They said they thought their eyes would pop from their heads and their skulls burst open with the tremendous pressure of blood. Their knee sockets pained, and the strain on their arms was almost unbearable.

Although they were going at frightful speed, they said their feet seemed made of lead, but that terrible red mouth. with gleaming, gnashing teeth, spurred them on. Ahead they could see that the trail took a greater dip, and their one desire was to reach that point, and maybe the greater incline would give them sufficient speed to get away from the ferocious beast. Caughman declares they were practically all in when the dip was reached, and they shot over on the greater incline with a last effort.

Their machines fairly bounded through the air, and then their greatest danger was to avoid being thrown. They had apparently outdistanced the grizzly, for her growls could no longer be heard, but neither dared look over his shoulder. Both of them had lost their pedals, and their machines were beyond their control. The bicycles were only striking the high places. Finally Fraslier's machine struck a soft spot of sand, and he was hurled through the air about thirty feet, and the fall rendered him unconscious. A hundred yards farther on Caughman was also thrown, but not hurt. He fearfully made his way back to the place of Fraslier's fall, half expecting to see the grizzly chewing on him, but the bear was not in sight, and after several minutes' work brought his partner back to consciousness. Both were in a terribly exhausted condition, but managed to make their way to a ranch house, where they spent the night.

Later in their trip Caughman had a narrow escape from being bitten by a rattlesnake while wheeling along the road. He did not see the reptile until it rattled, but it was then too late to stop or swing out of the way, and he had to keep straight on. The angry snake struck, but fortunately the moving wheels and not the pedaling legs of the rider attracted the snake, and his fangs were sunk into the pneumatic tire of the wheel. The reptile was whirled around and crashed between the forks, and Caughman took a header. He thought himself very lucky and now carries the snake's rattles, numbering nine and a button, as a souvenir.