The Grizzly, Our Greatest Wild AnimalMills, Enos A.
Philosophy
The Grizzly, Our Greatest Wild Animal
Mills, Enos A.
Grizzly bear
Ben quickly outstripped his foster-brother in size, but, although very
swift of foot, he was soon outrun by the greyhound. Several times Ben
and Rambler came upon the fleet-footed antelope, which Rambler closely
pursued for miles. Ben would usually race for half a mile or so, then,
being unable to keep up with Rambler, would sit down, look around for a
minute, and return to his master. For several years they followed Adams
in his long hunting-trips across the mountains.
Adams sometimes tempted Ben by placing within his reach scraps of dainty
food, but he was so well trained that he never touched any food until it
was given to him. Often, when hungry, Ben would sit on his haunches near
his master, occasionally looking up into his face and remonstrating if
he did not receive attention.
When Ben became larger, Adams trained him as a pack-animal, and Ben
carried the camp outfit and supplies on his back through the wilderness.
At other times he was used with Rambler in hunting, or when Adams was
attacking a grizzly. Ben was once severely injured in a fight with a
jaguar. He was not chained except when near a village, and then only for
the safety of the excited dogs.
On one of his hunting-expeditions in the mountains of Oregon, Adams had
what he considered one of the narrowest escapes of his life. He had with
him as usual Rambler and Ben Franklin. While passing through a thicket
Adams came unexpectedly upon a mother grizzly with cubs. The mother bear
at once knocked him down and began to chew him up. Ben Franklin had not
heretofore seen one of his kin.
"What will Ben do?" thought Adams, "help me or join his own kind and
also attack me?"
There was neither doubt nor hesitation in Ben's mind. Though young and
small, he went to the defense of his master against a grizzly five times
his own size. So vigorously did Ben throw himself upon the big grizzly
that she turned from Adams and vented her fury upon Ben. Though badly
wounded, Adams was able with this opportunity to reach for his rifle and
kill the grizzly.
Ben ran howling to camp. Adams, also frightfully injured, followed, and
found Ben lying under the wagon licking his bleeding sides. So grateful
was he to Ben for saving his life that he dressed the little bear's
wounds before giving attention to his own, and remained in camp several
days, giving Ben every possible attention and opportunity to recover. We
can understand his saying of Ben Franklin: "The most excellent of all
beasts, as faithful as it is possible for any animal to be; Ben
Franklin, the king of the forest, the flower of his race, my firmest
friend."
The following tribute to Ben Franklin appeared in the San Francisco
"Evening Bulletin" of January 19, 1858:--
"DEATH OF A DISTINGUISHED NATIVE CALIFORNIAN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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