The grizzly bear (_ursus ferox_), the fiercest and most formidable of
the ursine family, was the next to be captured and skinned.
The range of the grizzly, though wider than that of the Barren Ground
bear, is still not so extensive as that of the _ursus americanus_. The
great chain or cordillera of the Rocky Mountains may be taken as the
_axis_ of his range--since he is found throughout its whole extent, from
Mexico to its declension near the shores of the Arctic Sea. Some
writers have asserted that he is confined to these mountains, but that
is an error. To the west of them he is encountered throughout all the
countries lying between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast--
wherever circumstances are favourable to his existence; and to the east
he extends his wanderings for a considerable distance into the great
plains--though nowhere so far as to the wooded countries near the
meridian of the Mississippi. In these the black bear is the only
forest-ranger of the family.
Woods are not the favourite haunt of the grizzly bear; and although in
youth he can make a sort of scramble up a tree, when full-grown his
enormous claws--always blunted at the tips--hinder him from climbing.
Low bushy thickets, with open glades intervening--and especially where
the underwood consists of berry-bearing bushes--are his chosen retreats.
He often sallies out into the open ground; and on those prairies where
grows the _pomme blanche_, or "Indian turnip" (_psoralea esculenta_), he
may be seen tearing up the earth with his claws, and leaving it turned
into furrows--as if a drove of hogs had been "rooting" the ground. On
the bottoms of the streams he also digs up the "kamas" root (_camassia
esculenta_), the "yampah," (_anethum graveolens_), the "kooyah"
(_Valeriana edulis_), and the root of a species of thistle (_circium
virginianum_). Many species of fruits and berries furnish him with an
occasional meal; and the sweet pods of the mesquites (species of
_acacia_), and the cones of the pinon tree (_pinus edulis_) form
portions of his varied larder.
He does not, however, confine himself to a vegetable diet. Like most of
his kind, he is also carnivorous, and will dine off the carcass of a
horse or buffalo. The latter animal, notwithstanding its enormous bulk
and strength, frequently falls a prey to the grizzly bear. The long
masses of hair that hang over the eyes of the buffalo, hinder it from
perceiving the presence of an enemy; and, unless warned by the scent, it
is easily approached. The bear, knowing this, steals up against the
wind; and, when within safe distance, springs upon the hind quarters of
the ruminant, and cramping it in his great claws, succeeds in dragging
it to the ground. He is even able to transport the huge carcass to a
considerable distance--for the purpose of concealing it in some thicket,
and devouring it at his leisure.
The grizzly bear is more like to the brown bear of Europe than to any
other species of the genus. His fur is long and shaggy--not presenting
the even surface which characterises the coat of the black bear. It is
generally of a dark-brown colour--the hair being whitish at the tips,
more especially during the summer season, when it becomes
lighter-coloured. The head is always of a grizzled grey; and it is this
appearance that has obtained for the animal its specific name. There
are brown, reddish-brown, bay or cinnamon--coloured, and white-breasted
varieties of the black bear; but the Indians can distinguish all these
from the true grizzly at a glance. In all of the latter, where there
are white hairs intermingled with the fur, it is always observable that
these odd hairs are white to the roots; whereas the hoary appearance of
the grizzly is caused by only the tips of the hair being white. This
characteristic is constant; and would of itself justify a distinction
being made between the species; but there are many other points of
greater importance. The ears of the grizzly are shorter, more conical,
and set wider apart than in either the _ursus americanus_ or _arctos_.
His claws are white, arched, far longer, and broader than those of the
other bears--their greatest breadth being across their upper surface.
Underneath they are chamfered away to a sharp edge; and projecting far
beyond the hair of the foot, they cut like chisels when the animal
strikes a blow with them. His huge paw is both broader and longer than
that of other bears; while his tail, on the other hand, is short and
inconspicuous--being completely buried under the fur of his buttocks.
So characteristic is this appendage for its extreme shortness, that it
is a standing joke among the Indians--when they have killed a grizzly
bear--to desire any one unacquainted with the animal, to take hold of
its tail!
This appendage in the _ursus americanus_ and _ursus arctos_ is
conspicuous enough; and in the Barren Ground bear is still longer than
in either.
There could be no possibility of mistaking an old or full-grown grizzly
for any of the kindred species. Both in size and aspect he is
different. It is only in the case of young or half-grown specimens
where a mistake of this kind is likely to be made. The enormous size of
the old males--often weighing 1,000 pounds, and quite equalling the
largest individuals of the _ursus maritimus_--renders them easy of
identification; though it is certain that under favourable circumstances
the _ursus arctos_ often attains to a similar bulk.
In ferocity of disposition, however, in carnivorous inclination, and in
strength and power to carry out his mischievous propensities, no bear,
not even the _ursus maritimus_, appears to be a match for this monster
of the Rocky Mountains. The hunter never thinks of attacking him,
unless when assisted by a number of his comrades; and even then it may
be a fatal encounter for one or more of them. Were it not for the
advantage obtained by their being mounted on horseback, the grizzly
would always have a wide berth given him: but fortunately this fierce
quadruped is unable to overtake the mounted hunter--although he can
easily come up with a man on foot.
As to fearing or running away from a human antagonist, the younger
grizzlies may sometimes do so; but when an old male has been attacked
the case is quite different. A full-grown individual will stand his
ground against a crowd of assailants--charging from one to the other,
and showing fight so long as there is breath in his body.
The number of Indian and white hunters, who have either been killed or
badly mutilated by grizzly bears, is almost incredible. Were it not
that these men are usually mounted on good horses the list would have
been still greater; and his intended victims often find another means of
escaping from his claws--by taking to a tree.
Fortunate it is that nature has not bestowed upon the grizzly the power
of tree-climbing; else many a pursued hunter, who has succeeded in
gaining the branches of a friendly cottonwood, might have found his
refuge anything but a secure one.
In fact, climbing into a tree--when one can be reached--is the common
resource of all persons pursued by the grizzly bear; and by this means
did our hunters themselves escape from a brace of infuriated grizzlies,
while engaged in hunting these formidable animals.