in the Rocky Mountains as a brave and skillful hunter, had
a fight with a bear which lasted several hours. This terrible battle
ended by both the combatants being laid prostrate upon the ground, so
completely exhausted as to be utterly unable to reach each other from
the want of physical strength. In this condition they spent one night;
and, on the following morning, when the brave Mexican hunter had
recovered sufficiently to be able to creep to his antagonist, he found
him dead. This close conflict grew out of the hunter's noble daring
in endeavoring to save the life of a Mexican boy, whom, at the instant
the hunter attacked the beast, the bear was about to tear into pieces.
At one time the bear had the youth in his terrible clutches in such
a manner that it was impossible for him to plant a shot in any vital
organ. But nothing daunted, with his rifle and revolver, he lodged
several bullets in other parts of the fierce monster. Still the
savage animal clung to the unfortunate boy, endeavoring to tear him to
pieces, and horribly mangling him in every part of his body. The noble
hunter could resist no longer, and dropping his pistols and rifle, he
drew his sheath-knife and slung shot, and, after winding his blanket
around his left arm to protects it, rushed in and compelled the animal
to turn upon him. Wounds were freely given and returned; but, the wary
Mexican fought with such dexterity and determination, that the bear
finally became so mad with pain and rage that by a tremendous effort,
with one blow of his powerful paw, he knocked the brave hunter
headlong upon the ground, where he lay some time before recovering his
breath. Instead of following up this advantage, the brute, doubtless
being deceived because the man did not move, commenced examining and
licking his own bleeding wounds. But the brave hunter had now got his
spirit so completely up, that he determined to conquer his antagonist
or die. Early in the fight, by a blow from his slung-shot, he had
succeeded in breaking the bear's lower jaw. This had greatly disabled
the animal and undoubtedly was the successful wound which eventually
gave Sanchez the victory. When he felt himself sufficiently rested,
he renewed the fight; and, by adopting various manoeuvres, in which he
was greatly assisted by some adjacent trees, succeeded in putting in
several telling blows with his knife. Again the animal became aroused
to madness unendurable, and, gathering himself up for a