The Grizzly, Our Greatest Wild Animal — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Grizzly, Our Greatest Wild Animal
John Stuart Mill · en
I shook the cubs out of the sack in front of a basin of milk and thrust
their faces deeply into it. Not having eaten for three days, they were
"as hungry as bears" and needed no explanation concerning the milk. They
had eager, cunning little faces, and were pets before sundown. In
twenty-four hours Jenny knew that her name was Jenny, and Johnny that
his was Johnny. After a few days they followed me about with fondness
and loyalty.
[Illustration: JENNY (STANDING UP) AND JOHNNY
_In the First Year of their Lives_]
These bears responded to kind treatment and were of cheerful
disposition. I made it a point never to annoy or tease them. The grizzly
bear is an exceedingly sensitive animal, and annoyances or cruelty make
him cross. Once in addressing an audience concerning wild life I made
the statement that bears would be good to us if we were good to them.
A small boy instantly asked, "What do you do to be good to bears?" The
health and the temper of bears, as well as of people, are easily ruined
by improper food.
Young bear cubs are the most wide-awake and observing little people that
I know of. Never have I seen a horse or dog who understood as readily or
learned as rapidly as these two bears. One day I offered Johnny a saucer
of milk. He was impatient to get it. Reaching up, he succeeded in
spilling it, but he licked the saucer with satisfaction. On the second
try he spilled only a part of the milk. On the third trial he clasped
the saucer deftly in his two fore paws, lifted it upwards, turned his
head back and poured the milk into his mouth.
When Johnny and Jenny were growing up, it seemed as if nothing unusual
escaped them. A bright button, a flash of a ring, a white handkerchief,
or an unusual movement or sound instantly caught their attention. They
concentrated on each new object and endeavored to find out what it was.
Having satisfied their curiosity or obtained full information about it,
the next instant they were ready to concentrate on something else. But
they remembered on second appearance anything which had especially
interested them at any time. They learned through careful observation.
For a time they were not chained and had the freedom of the yard. Never
have I seen two young animals more intense, more playful, or more
energetic. They played alone, they mauled each other by the hour, and
occasionally they scrapped. Sometimes we ran foot-races. From a scratch
upon the ground, at the word "go," we would race down hill about one
hundred and fifty yards. They were eager for these races and always
ready to line up with me. They were so speedy that in every race they
merrily turned around at least twice to see if I was coming, and in
those days I was not slow.