A hunter, just returned from a solitary excursion [244] to the Qui Court river, informed me at Engineer cantonment, that going one morning to examine his traps, he was pursued by a bear, and had merely time to get into a small tree, when the bear passed beneath him; and without halting, or even looking up, passed on at the same pace.
Another hunter received a blow from the fore-paw of one of these animals, which carried away his eye and cheek-bone.
In proof of the great muscular power with which this animal is endowed, a circumstance related to us by Mr. J. Dougherty may be stated. He shot down a bison; and leaving the carcass to obtain assistance to butcher it, he was surprised on his return to find that it had been dragged entire, to a considerable distance, by one of these bears, and was now lodged in a concavity of the earth, which the animal had scooped out for its reception.
Notwithstanding the formidable character of this bear, we have not made use of any precautions against their attacks; and although they have been several times prowling about us in the night, they have not evinced any disposition to attack us at that season.
They appear to be more readily intimidated by the voice, than by the appearance of men.
Some grizzly bears were brought, when very young, from the country of the Sioux by Lieutenant Pike, and were presented to the Philadelphia Museum. They were kept several years in that splendid institution, secured in a strong cage; during which time they gradually increased in size, until at length they became dangerous from their strength and unsubdued ferocity, and it was judged proper to prepare them for the cabinet. From these specimens our description is chiefly taken.[33]
[245] CHAPTER III [X]
Natural Mounds—Kaskaia Indian and Squaw—Preparations for a Division of the Party—Sandstones of the High Plains South of the Arkansa—Fletz Trap Formation.