Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/86

80 80 JOURNAL OF DAVID DOUGLAS. saw Mount Jefferson of Lewis and Clarke about twenty or thirty miles distant, covered with snow for a considerable part of its height. I bargained with McKay for the skin of a large female Grisly Bear, which he had killed seven days before, and obtained it for a small old blanket and a little tobacco. I mean to use it as an under robe to lie upon, as the cold dew from the grass is very prejudicial to my health. If possible, he will obtain a male of the same kind for me as a match. One of our hunters, J. Kennedy, had a most narrow es- cape this morning from a male Grisly Bear, which he did not perceive till it had come within a few yards of him. Finding it impossible to outrun the animal, and his rifle missing fire, Kennedy sprang up a small oak which chanced to be near; the bear was so close behind that he seized him by one paw on the back and the other under the right arm, but fortunately his clothing was so old that it gave way, or he must have perished. Blanket, coat and trousers were torn almost to rags. This kind of bear can not climb trees. Our hunters all turned out to seek for the beast, but could not meet with it, though such a sup- ply of food would have been most acceptable. Our last fragments of meat were cooked last night, and gave us a very scanty supper ; this morning a small deer enabled us to obtain some breakfast. Thus we live literally from hand to mouth, the hunters all declaring that they never knew the animals of all kinds to be so scarce and shy, which is attributable to the great extent of country that has been burned. Monday, the 9th A small Elk was killed to-day, after receiving eleven shots, it weighed about 500 pounds, but was lean and tough. The horns of this species are very large, thirty-three inches between the tips, with five prongs on each, all inclining forward, the largest three feet all but one inch long; body of an uniform brown, with a