ROPING A GRIZZLY.

Western Star, 28 March 1911, Page 4

ROPING A GRIZZLY.

Roping grizzlies is a game, one night think, for a dozen men,; but there are stories on record of Caliornians who have roped the most powerful grizzly single-handed. ' 'ln Recreations of a Pacific Coast," Mr. C. F. Holder lescribes a catch of this sort made &y Don Jose Castenada. Don Jose jvas living at the time at the Chino ranch, about fifty miles east of Loe Angeles, and one day, when riding through the willows to inspect his •attle, came suddenly, without, warning, on a griszly that had wandered down from the hills on a marauding trip.

The first warning Don Jose had was of something flying by his face, and striking his horse a fearful blow on the rump. The object was the paw of a big griz/.ly. The animal aad reared up in the. bush and struck at Don Jose, but had missed him, as he had intuitively put spurs to his horse and rushed into a clearing, trailing his riata, that on the range was alwayfi coiled loosely on the pommel. The bear followed on the dead run.

Don Jose was now in a grass clearing the size of a large circus, tant, , and directed bis horse around in a circle, riding slowly till the grisisly came within ten feet of him, gradually leading him up to a small, curly willow. Suddenly he threw his horse on his haunches to the side, and as the grizzly came on he cast the riata.

As it fastened on to the of the animal Don Jose ran his horse round the tree, thus hauling the grizzly close to it with a heavy drag ; and while it fell, on its side, rolling over and biting at the rope, Don Jose ran his horse round the tree several times till he had the animal completely in the toils. He now fastened the end of hi* riata to a limb, and as the bear was trying to reach him all the time, he made a second riata of his hair rope, tossed the aoose over the bear's head* and with a few turns over the pommel hauled taut, and so arranged Ihe rope that the horse *could not get wound up. During this time of excitement and quick action Don Jose had made a light from the saddle, hut he no* proposed to leave it. He reached down and pulled his ciuch-strap as tight as the horse so the saddle would not He thet loft the well-trained horse holding hack hard, as in the case of brandinf a steer, and,, preventing the bear from moving. The grizzly had,backed up against the tree, the horw holding him in one direction, th« tree in the other.

Don Jose now took off- his silk sash, and passing behind the. tree, succedded in tying the bear's hind legß together. He thus had Mr. Bear at his mercy. He had madi the capture single-handed, except iot the aid of the horse.