Day late, but hey better late than never, right?

Let's look at Osborne Russell's first experience hunting in the West (and hunting much at all for the first time in his life).
Bison and grizzly bear were sure some tough choices for a first animal to pursue.

From Russell's journal:
I now prepared myself for the first time in my life to
kill meat for my supper with a Rifle. I had an elegant one but had little experience in useing it, I
however approached the band of Buffaloe crawling on my hands and knees within about 80 yards
of them then raised my body erect took aim and shot at a Bull: at the crack of the gun the Buffaloe
all ran off excepting the Bull which I had wounded, I then reloaded and shot as fast as I could
untill I had driven 25 bullets at, in and about him which was all that I had in my bullet pouch
whilst the Bull still stood apparently riveted to the spot I watched him anxiously for half an hour
in hopes of seeing him fall, but to no purpose, I was obliged to give it up as a bad job and retreat
to our encampment without meat: but the Mullattoe had better luck he had killed a fat cow whilst
shooting 15 bullets at the band. The next day we succeeded in killing another cow and two Bulls,
we butchered them took the meat and returned to the Fort. On the 20th of August we started
again to hunt meat: we left the Fort and travelled abot 6 miles when we discovered a Grizzly Bear
digging and eating roots in a piece of marshy ground near a large bunch of willows. The Mullattoe
approached within 100 yards and shot him thro. the left shoulder he gave a hideous growl and
sprang into the thicket. The Mullattoe then said “let him go he is a dangerous varmint” but not
being acquainted with the nature of these animals I determined on making another trial, and persuaded
the Mullatto to assist me we walked round the bunch of willows where where the Bear lay
keeping close together, with our Rifles ready cocked and presented towards the bushes untill near
the place where he had entered, when we heard a sullen growl about 10 ft from us, which was
instantly followed by a spring of the Bear toward us; his enormous jaws extended and eyes flashing
fire. Oh Heavens! was ever anything so hideous? We could not retain sufficient presence of
mind to shoot at him but took to our heels separating as we ran the Bear taking after me, finding
I could out run him he left and turned to the other who wheeled about and discharged his Rifle
covering the Bear with smoke and fire the ball however missing him he turned and bounding
toward me - I could go no further without jumping into a large quagmire which hemmed me on
three sides, I was obliged to turn about and face him he came within about 10 paces of me then
suddenly stopped and raised his ponderous body erect, his mouth wide open, gazing at me with a
beastly laugh at this moment I pulled trigger and I knew not what else to do and hardly knew that
I did this but it accidentally happened that my Rifle was pointed towards the Bear when I pulled
and the ball piercing his heart, he gave one bound from me uttered a deathly howl and fell dead:
but I trembled as if I had an ague fit for half an hour after, we butchered him as he was very fat
packed the meat and skin on our horses and returned to the Fort with the trophies of our bravery,
but I secretly determined in my own mind never to molest another wounded Grizzly Bear in a
marsh or thicket.

Narrow Escape from a Grizzly Bear, by Alfred Jacob Miller

Would sure enough make your heart beat faster

Good read,thanks

I remember the first time I read that passage and I was embarrassed for him on that bull. That he was capable of admitting to that story though sure gave credence to all the rest of his accounts of his time in the mountains.

Wonder what the mullattos name was?

I scanned the surrounding few pages, but could not find a name for "the Mulattoe". Add him to the LONG list of barely known people involved throughout the history of the fur trade.

The only Mullattoes that come to mind are perhaps Peter Ranne who died in the Umqua massacre, or Jim Beckwourth. One would assume that the term "mullattoe" might be interchanged for "black or colored"? Undoubtably there were many more.

Peter died in 1828 so I think that was before Osborne's time in the mountains.

what are they using for rifles that a Buffalo will soak up 25 rounds or how many times did he miss after that first hit?

He doesn’t fit into Russell’s timeframe as I think this narrative happened in 1834 around Fort Hall but Edward Rose was a known mulatto who was supposed to have been killed by the Blackfeet in 1833 on the Yellowstone River

Rose and Beckworth would be the most famous blacks/mulattos.
So many men are only known from a single line in a journal or ledger. Others will remain nameless for eternity.
I'll do a little more digging, but right now, he will most likely always be remembered as "the mulatto."

thanks i enjoy these short story

Thank you, k snow. Great reading, as always.

A lot of the rifles that went West, especially in the earlier time frame, were 45 to 5o caliber.
Russell did say the 25 shots went "at, in or about" the buffalo. Definitely a humbling experience I am sure for him.