Humans and bears - Wild encounters

[brotherbear]

Cowboys, Mountain Men, & Grizzly Bears by Matthew P. Mayo:

With no warning a massive brown streak burst from the midst of the thicket. It was a huge grizzly and the bawling roar it emitted was matched only by the snapping of its jaws. Horses jerked free and reared high, slashing the air with their hooves, neighing as if they were on fire, eyes rolling white in their frenzy to find escape.

The bruin burst upon the line of men at their middle, menacing the lot of them with its rage before bolting straight for the head of the line. It leapt at Captain Jedediah Smith, grabbed the startled young man by the head, and dragged him down. As their leader thrashed on the ground, shouting and twisting under the bawling beast, the men were immobilized for less than the time it took to draw breath again. Four of them had their long guns poised for a shot at the savage creature, but with Smith rolling about with the beast on top of him, then he on top of it, a clear shot at the rippling brown hide seemed impossible. something had to be done.

Jim Clyman, second in command because of his age and experience, shouted, "Don't shoot the Captain!" and charged at the bawling mass of bear and man, yelling and waving his arms. By that time the bear had turned its attention to Smith's unguarded belly, where its biting jaws snapped ribs and even the steel of Smith's long knife. The other men followed Clyman and, moving closer, let fly volley after volley of lead ball until the brute succumbed to the assault, leaving a grisly mess in its wake. Reply