Bears as Predators ~

[brotherbear]

The Grizzly Book by Jack Samson. 

Posters were plastered upon trees and rocks. WAR! WAR! WAR! The celebrated Bull-Killing Bear, General Scott will fight a Bull on Sunday the 15th inst. at 2 p.m. at Moquelumne Hill. 

The bear will be chained with a twenty-foot chain in the middle of the arena. The Bull will be perfectly wild, young, of the Spanish breed and the best that can be found in the country. The Bull's horns will be of their natural length, and not sawed off to prevent accidents! The Bull will be quite free in the arena, and not hampered in any way whatever. 

General Scott, a grizzly of some twelve hundred pounds, had killed several bulls in previous bouts, and during his introduction and that of the bull, the assembly amused itself by placing bets with each other as to the outcome. The bull was at first a reluctant participant, and had to be lured into the arena by the waving of a red flag. Eventually the bull charged, and each animal fought as it would in the wild; horns and power of charge against enormous strength and lacerating embraces. The bull, as was usually the case in such contests, was finally killed by the grizzly. The proprietors, as was also the custom, then announced that for an additional fee, another bull would be pitted against General Scott, and three or four men passed around hats which were quickly filled. The new bull was also dispatched, and the crowd filed out in high spirits. One of them remarked to Borthwick that it had been "the finest fight ever fit in the country." 

A Solitary Beast by Michael Jenkins Reply