bottom ov the canyon which I was follerin’ was…
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

cattle. We rode ’long purty much together till erbout noon, when Sam went up one canyon and me up ernuther one. The sun was biling hot an’ water awful scarce. An’ jist like human natur to want and crave somethin’ it can’t git, I begin ter want water the worst kind. The bottom ov the canyon which I was follerin’ was dry as the bones of old Methuselah. ’Twas about the middle ov the hottest afternoon I ever felt in this here country. I got so dry my throat begin to swell up terribly. I seed I wasn’t er going to find any water in that ere canyon, so I made up my mind to git out. After a while I found a way to ride over the ridge, which I proceeded to do. I rode on some two or three miles and came to another canyon, in the bottom of which I could see runnin’ water. I couldn’t get doun to it. I rode along the cliff for a mile or so, but couldn’t find a place to git down. After a while I could manage to climb down, but ’twas too steep for my boss. I bound to have some water, so I dismounted and climbed down. I wasn’t more nor half way down when I heard a growl which I knowed at once was a bear. Sure enough, on looking round to my left there stood an old she bear and two cubs. The cubs saw me, an’ were ready to leave. Jist as I step- ped back the two cubs come rushin’ by. I didn’t have a thing to defend myself with ’cept a pocket knife. But the old one didn’t care to tackle me. I felt considerably better when she and her two cubs passed on. I went down an’ got my drink, thinkin’ no more erbout the bears.