Biography of a Grizzly

Biography of a Grizzly [with
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Title: The Biography of a Grizzly
Author: Ernest Seton-Thompson
Release Date: November, 2005 [EBook #9330] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on September 23,
2003]

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Language: English
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THE BIOGRAPHY OF A GRIZZLY
and
75 Drawings
by
ERNEST SETON-THOMPSON
Author of: The Trail of the Sandhill Stag Wild Animals I Have Known
Art Anatomy of Animals Mammals of Manitoba Birds of Manitoba
1899
This Book is dedicated to the memory of the days spent at the Palette
Ranch on the Graybull, where from hunter, miner, personal experience,
and the host himself, I gathered many chapters of the History of Wahb.
[Illustration: ] In this Book the designs for title-page, cover, and
general makeup, were done by Mrs. Grace Gallatin Seton-Thompson.
[Illustration: ] List of Full-Page Drawings
They all Rushed Under it like a Lot of Little Pigs
Like Children Playing 'Hands'
He Stayed in the Tree till near Morning
A Savage Bobcat ... Warned Him to go Back
Wahb Yelled and Jerked Back
He Struck one Fearful, Crushing Blow
Ain't He an Awful Size, Though?
Wahb Smashed His Skull
Causing the Pool to Overflow

He Deliberately Stood up on the Pine Root
The Roachback Fled into the Woods
He Paused a Moment at the Gate


PART I
THE CUBHOOD OF WAHB
[Illustration:]
I.
He was born over a score of years ago, away up in the wildest part of
the wild West, on the head of the Little Piney, above where the Palette
Ranch is now.
His Mother was just an ordinary Silvertip, living the quiet life that all
Bears prefer, minding her own business and doing her duty by her
family, asking no favors of any one excepting to let her alone. It was
July before she took her remarkable family down the Little Piney to the
Graybull, and showed them what strawberries were, and where to find
them.
Notwithstanding their Mother's deep conviction, the cubs were not
remarkably big or bright; yet they were a remarkable family, for there
were four of them, and it is not often a Grizzly Mother can boast of
more than two.
[Illustration]
The woolly-coated little creatures were having a fine time, and reveled
in the lovely mountain summer and the abundance of good things.
Their Mother turned over each log and flat stone they came to, and the
moment it was lifted they all rushed under it like a lot of little pigs to
lick up the ants and grubs there hidden.
It never once occurred to them that Mammy's strength might fail
sometime, and let the great rock drop just as they got under it; nor
would any one have thought so that might have chanced to see that
huge arm and that shoulder sliding about under the great yellow robe
she wore. No, no; that arm could never fail. The little ones were quite
right. So they hustled and tumbled one another at each fresh log in their

haste to be first, and squealed little squeals, and growled little growls,
as if each was a pig, a pup, and a kitten all rolled into one.
They were well acquainted with the common little brown ants that
harbor under logs in the uplands, but now they came for the first time
on one of the hills of the great, fat, luscious Wood-ant, and they all
crowded around to lick up those that ran out. But they soon found that
they were licking up more cactus-prickles and sand than ants, till their
Mother said in Grizzly, "Let me show you how."
She