Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 141, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1919 — “A CLOSE CALL" [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“A CLOSE CALL"

By JOHN D. SHERMAN.

A CLOSE CALL," by Wll- || t\ Ham P. Leigh, a New York artist, is possible L m the best picture of a grizzly ever painted. Outdoor men and big-game hunters say it is the “real thing.” Well, it ought to be the real thing, because it was painted from life, so to speak. There’s a little of what might be called poetic license In the picture, which improves it from the dramatic viewpoint. When you read the plaip, stralghfcfonvard story of the picture, as told by Director J. D. Figgins of the Colorado Museum of Natural History at Denver, you will see how the artist used this license. As to the details of the painting, they are the real thing and no mistake. The grizzly, was a real grizzly; his mounted skin is now in the museum. The dogs w r ere real dogs. The man in front of the bear Is one of two noted Wyoming guides—either Ned Frost or Fred Richards. JThe trees are real trees and they and the little open space are there yet. hunter in the left-hand upper corner coming to the re|pie is Figgins himself. As for Artist Leigh, he was rushing around the ring, taking photographs and making pencil sketches and absorbing “local color.” The grizzly Is worthy of the best effort of the best artist. He Is the “King of the Wilds” on the American continent. Enos Mills, whose exhaustive work on the gpizzly is to be published this spring, says this royal animal excels all others in brains; he does not except either the dog or the elephant. Mr. Mills belongs to the “reason” school pf American naturalists, as contrasted with the “instinct” school; the former credits animals with what may be called a mental process akin to reasoning, while the latter believes that all their actions are due to inherited Instinct. Mr. Mills should know something about grizzlies; he captured as cubs and brought up Johnny and Jennie, -• the two enormous grizzlies in the Denver zoo. Arid he studied the grizzly in his native wHtlds. The grizzly will soon be extinct in continental United States — except in the national parks, which are sanctuaries for wild animal life. “Kinjj of the Wilds.” The grizzly is a queer animal. Notwithstanding his size, he seldom kills big game or cattle or sheep for food. He eats nearly everything edible that he finds. He will root up a field of flowers for their roots. He will overturn great bowlders to get at a nest of ants. He will go to the foot of a sloping snowbaarlc In the summer and feast on the grasshoppers that have become chilled. He loves berries. And he dotes on field mice and chipmunks. But occasionally a grizzly gets the cat-tle-killing habit and then he becomes a terror to stockmen. - The experts Insist that the grizzly is not ferofclous by nature. Originally he was absolute monarch of the wilds. He took the path and kept it —except for the skunk—-and everything got out of his way. So he did not have to fight. After he had been trapped and hunted and shot by the white man he gave man a wide berth; His senses are exceedingly keen; it is believed that he will hear a hunter at a distance of a quarter of a mile and will scent him at nearly a mile. Eternally vigilant, wary, intelligent, he keeps out of the way. When hunted with dogs, his Intelligence, endurance and speed over rough country usually enable him to get Sway.

But when the grizzly Is cornered he Is a tremendous antagonist. Wounded, he is a terror. A grizzly mother with a cub is as dangerous an animal as walks the earth. The grizzly can be killed with a single bullet —if that bullet is placed right. Otherwise the contents of a modern high-power magazine rifle will not check a charging grizzly. The brain, the spine and the upper part of the heart are the vital spots." A western man—his name is purposely omitted —once killed three full-grown grizzlies in about 30 seconds with three shots; he doesn’t dare print the story. One most interesting feature about the grizzly is his individuality. Grizzlies seem to be even more Individual than men. For example, there is the career of “Old Mose,” which is a Colorado classic. Old Mose first appeared in the lime- * light about 1869. His territory was the region around Black Mountain; it Jay on top of the Continental /Divide and was about 60 miles in diameter. Two toes missing on his left hind paw made It easy to keep track of him. Old Mose quickly became an expert killer of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs. Once he had learned the taste of beef, mutton and pork, he lost all desire for ants, grasshoppers and flower roots. Toward the close of his career he was followed at a respectful distance by a large cinnamon bear which fed on the remnants of his carcasses. A heavy price was put «rm the head of Old Mose. .Trappers and hunters of known skill made a business of trying to win the reward. All attempts to trap him failed. Poison was tried In vain. Three hunters got close enough to him to meet death. Old Mose seemed to have a keen sense of humor. After he had been hunted for many years he developed a habit of sneaking up on the camp of campers and prospectors. Then he, would rush the camp, roaring and seeming bent on killing everybody In sight. There is no reconi that he ever attacked anyone at such times. But the stampedes he caused were many and ludicrous. Undoubtedly he enjoyed them. This sort of thing went- on for 35 years. Old Mose during that time killed more than 800 cattle, to say nothing of colts and other live stock. He killed at least five men. Though forty or more years of age, his fur was glossy, his teeth were sound, his bodily powers were undiminished and he was more cunning than ever. Finally, in April, 1904, a hunter with a pack of first-class bear dogs managed to get him cornered. Old Mose turned at bay for the last time. It took eight shots to kill this tremendous old grizzly. “A Close Call." And now for “A Close Call,” with the foregoing to give you a hint why this portrait is so remarkable. “The fight from which the painting was made took place in „the spring of 1912, near Cody, Wyo.,” said Director Figgins.” I met Mr. Leigh at Cody, and he was keen to paint a bear in action. I invited him to go with me on my trip for a bear group for the museum. He accepted and took along his equipment and guide. I had secured the services of the famous Wyoming guides, Ned Frost and Fred Richards. We set out in May for the bear country. “We had two camps established and we roamed the mountains and timber land day after day, spending the night

at whichever cabin happened to be closest. We. had found a great many tracks and had followed them without result over hundreds of miles of rocky and wooded territory, when one morning one of the guides found a new track in the dust near our camp. Our dogs got the scent and took up the trail. For two hours we trekked after the bawling hounds as they made straight for higher ground op the side of a mountain. “Leigh’s manner was all eagerness now and his eyes glistened as he rode along with his kodaks and boxes, His object was entirely different from ours, but he entered into the pursuit with quite as much zeal. “Finally the dogs came within sight of the bear. Up the mountain side they bounded with the bear giving them a fast race. On a north slope of the mountain the animal made a fatal mistake —he plunged into a stretch of snow, soft and mushy from the spring sunshine, a certain trap for his heavy body. He lumbered along for a time In the snow, with the lighter dogs gaining every second. Then he turned and made for an open space. But It was too late. The Grizzly at Bay. "The dogs were upon him as he reached firm ground and a terrific fight l began. One of the guides and I came up with our guns —I have forgotten whether it was Frost or Richards — and Leigh was-right at our heels* “Leigh got to work with his camera and pencils and we waited near by, changing our position occasionally in order to maintain a vantage point in case the bear should make a break for liberty. It was in one of these maneuvers, I think, that the guide came too close to the fighting dogs and was knocked down. This gave Mr. Leigh the idea which he has Incorporated In his picture as it was finished —the spectacle of one of the hunters lying prone under the bear. “After about twenty minutes, during which time our dogs were keeping up a hot fight and having their hands full, so to speak, ja pup which had been trailing slightly in the rear cajpe up with us. I had asked the guides to let this young dog come along as a special favor, because I thought I saw in him the making of a fine bearhound and I wanted him to get some early "experience. The pup and I had become close friends during the trip due to the special attention I had paid him, and I had learned to love him as much as though he were my own. I had note<3 his gameness many times on the march. Although he was less than a year old he kept up with the old dogs easily and no mountain stream was too swift for him. “I was not surprised, then, to see Champ—that was the dog’s name—r come bounding through the timber toward the bear fight. He saw the prey when about 40 yards away and stopped still on his haunches, his hair bristling and his body trembling. I could see that he was scared, but my faith in him told me it would not be for long. My faith was justified. When he saw the other dogs sprawling and bawling and struggling around the bear, he made a bound and landed in the arena. “With a long leap he sprang at the bear, but his clumsy legs tricked him and he rolled on the ground beyond. I knew that he was not wily enough for the fight and that one heavy blow from the bear would break him In tvro. So I slxot the bear in the neck, breaking his spinal cord.”