The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-09-08
a Night Hunt in siberia.
PERILous ADVENTURE.

The Creator has every where provided for
the wants Of his creatures. The terrible
cold of Siberia and the Polar regions would
render life insupportablo By man and beast
without some special provision. The Sibe-
rian bear seems to be II peculiar species of
that animal. He is head taller than the
common brown boar, is long legged and long
neckcd, heavier and more ferocious. The
Siberian bear, too, unlike other Bruins, Is
not fond Of honey. Vegetable food is rare
with him. he lives Like a beast Of prey on
the flesh of other animsls. His skin is
Nary, and Of n brown color outside. while
the inner part has very soft. thick, fine
wool. Even the soles of his feet arc cover
cd with hair. The animal has consequently
noiseless step, and were he not so lazv.
might glide securely upon his prey. Happily,
nc adopts another mode of attack. He as-
ccnds one OF the great pines. lies quiet
among the thick branches, and then sudden
lly falls like II ball from his hiding place
among the stray hares, reindeer or clks. He
often tasts Tor long time, SO he is capable
of deyouring mldding sized deer at one
sitting, leaving nothing but the skin, which
hn entirely clears out. Exilcs affirm that
they have observed him at such meal. and
that he has been noticed to continue eating
=.
PUSHES with stupid obstnacy. and will not
shrink from cncountering even a superior
number of opponents. His sight and hear
ing seem feeble, but his scent is very keen.
Strong as he is, however, a sharp blow on
the middle of the nose will often kill him.
lie rests III winter, like all his species: but
does not sleep so uninterruptedlv as the com
mon brown bear, nor does he suck his paws.
but simply rolls himself up like n bali and
sticks his head between his legs. In this
position he is often covered under deep
bed OF snow in a thieket 50 that his pres
ence Is not dscerniblc. Woe, however. ia
the unfortunate being who shall awake or
disturb hun; the bear rs swiftly upon him to
knock HIM down with his dreadful paws. or
to grasp and tear him.
Five exiles in Siberia. named Galowi.
Stronganow, Lominen, Romanow and Sajew.
had been greatly annoyed by the numerous
wolves which nightly infested the neighbour
hood of their isolated residences, and rem
dered life extremely insecure. They there
tore determined to make foray upon their
fierce adyersaries, and teach them lesson
OF caution. They made hunting pouches of
wolf skins, suspended their loaded rifles.
provided themselves with powder and shot,
put up some rancid fat and putrid flesh as
bait for the wolves, and set out on a hunt in
a rocky valley pretty free from wood, though
few large trees were scattered about. This
valley was situated about three miles from
their hut; and when they reached it they
saw numbers Of both wolves and bears. In
the thicket lay multitude of hare and elk
bones, most of which were picked clean.
many, too, were half eaten, proof that the
beasts BY no means found plentiful proven
der.
by Stronganow's advice, his comrades
liked posts deep in the frozen snow, and hay
ing covered their tops with snow, placed the
bats thereon, and seated themselves in coup
les on the branches of the trees, from whence
they could shoot their deadly balls. These
preparations took up the rest of the day.
and Stronganow, to whom the direction Of
the proceedings was chiefly entrusted, station
ed himself among the branches Of dark
pine, about twelve feet above the spot where
tie bait was placed.