New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-26
4 Contest with Polar Bears.

A Contest with Polar Bears.
lfrsm Hldehrands,s wines III spisbsrgea. N
They were resting, tired Of work, on their beds,
when Ivan heard an unusual noise and growing,
mingled with yells. He rose mp, and he believed
he had been dreaming, when bio heard it anew and
more plainly than before. Immediately he walked
up to the others.
81 believe We are going TO have another change
Of weather. said he. Only listen to the Storm.
"A fine storm! p said the pilot, get up and take
to your gun; it is the bears which are trying to
break in.ss
They quickly sprang up, seized their loaded guns.
and hurried from the cave into the hut. Gregory
carefully opened the little window. The air was
cold an possible hut clear and shining from the
fiery northern lights, lay the valley covered With
the dazzling snow before HIM. But what sight!
what horror Five great white bears that had
ing were trying to break into the door of the hut,
which happily was fast belted. Perhaps in few
moments the decayed timber might have been
crushed by their pressure, and our friends would
have been lost, without rescue, if they had awaked
d few minutes later. Ivan Immediately shot at the
nearest bear and hit him so well that he staggered
The shot re-eehoed through the rocky wall; some
wolves which were lurking in the distance to see if
they might not also obtain their prey. raised
frightfnl yell and ran of. But the bears became
the more furious, stood their ground all the more
firmly. They were indeed at first somewhat start.
led at the flash of the powder. and the report Of
the gun Resembling through the rocks, but soon
they fell into still greater rage, which they at
once vented upon their brother that had sunk
under the shot, and pitched upon him fnriousy and
tore him dreaafuliy. From the pain of this tearing
and rending the almost lfeless animal was aroused
again, and now his rage, being excited by the
wound from the ball, and the mode of cure his
friends had adopted with him, was raised to the
highest degree He fell fnriousy on the nearest Of
his neighbors, and In a short time they were all
biting and tearing each other.
However great was the noise of the tearing and
biting, however those inside might have looked on
it when they were no more troubled BY their enc
mics in the besieged hut, yet they were in CON
tinual fear lest the four might again muster and
venture on new attack, and very probably more
successful one, against their door,
Ivan and Gregory, in the meantime, were no idle
spectators Of the dreadful fight; they kept up a
firing among them, but not a single bear fell.
Probably in the confusion in which the bears all
were, they could get no sure aim. Il is possible
also that the bears, in their fury, did no. regard
wounds which else would have been severe and
painful.
The fray IS becoming doubtful, said the pilot;
" this noise may call here more of them, and thus
add to the strength of the besieging force. We
must resort to another method, I he added. after
short reflection !. Keep at yonr posts till come
back.''
With these words he fastened to the cavern and
caught up package of squibs. He set fire to one
of them. and threw it among the bears, and II was
fine sport to see how the thing jumped about
among the hard, frozen snow, like a will-o 1.-THE
SWisp, scattering sparks and how with every re-
port III l0dQe Sue jump ana SOt1etline9 iRnL6u on
a bears head, and then again on another's shaggy
coat. They had never experienced such an honor
They were startled, put their paws growing up to
their heads when the aquib struck their faces, or
they walIowed in the snow when 1t came in closer
Intercourse with their thick furs.
Not to let 1t all 60 off in q joke, Gregory and
Ivan continually fired at them, while the old pilot
threw some more squibs, and the enemy at last
drew off growing and limping, and greatly dis
pleased, leaving one Of their dead behind them.
After the besiegng had Withdrawn, our friends
took possession of the enemy left monstrous
white bear. W th the greatest exertions they sue
ceeded in bringing him at first only into the hut
and bolted the door. They could not now think Of
trying to skin him and cut up his flesh. There was
something else TO be done.
/ Ahfightedsby the dreadful cold, our friends had
spent almost whole month in the close heavy
cavern, without going out into the openair. Now,
as during the fight, they had felt the beneficial
effect of an almost intoierable but eniyening fresh
air, they concluded to open the window of the hut,
in order to give free access to the pure air. The
walls were at once coated with Ice and frost, and
the vapor Of the cabin and hut was changed into
snow, yet this nothing in comparison TO the ben
eft which our friends experienced from the pure
air.
But we must have sentinel stationed here a
sentinel with a light and gum y said the old
pilot. i fear that our foe will be ashamed Of
their having been beaten off from their attack, and
will come upon US before we have expected
Ivan and Gregory volunteered for this duty: the
latter clothed in his bearskin and setting his gun
close by him, Immediately took bis post Ivan and \
the pilot went into the cavern. Gregory had been
there almost an hour without bear showing him
self, and he already beginning to think that be
might give up all care account of the return of
the enemy, when he heard a distant growing, con-
tinuaily approaching nearer and nearer. He inn
mediateiy mentioned what he heard. The friends
hurried out, and looked through the opening, but
perceived as yet, no enemy on the clear shining
snow. You remember that not far from the hut
there was an opening IN the rock, which formed an
rxt- nt4oV
proach only on this side. And, in truth, soon
huge white bear showed himself at the corner of
the rock, accompanied by half dozen Others
which, under his lead, made directly for the hut
The trench was hindrance to them; il was full of
snow and this covered with thick crust Of ice
The beseging army came right forward, and
probably the blood or, as it is termed in the
language Of hunters. the sweat Of their dead com
rade, was the reason why the bears were yet more
furious and violent than in their first attack. But
one of them distinguished himself by his savage
efforts. No glowing, kissing, and fire-sprinklng
squibs frightened him; whenever such a fire.
brand struck him he became SO much the more
furious; growing and grating his teeth, he put up
his paws over the snouf, and renewed his assault
with increased rage. In vain Ivan and Gregory
shot at him; he minded no ball; his attacks were
the more violent and continually harder to resist
he seIt his dead comrade in the hut, and pnt out
oil the strength at his command anew, and crash!
he all at once dashed in the door, and the un.
guest was inside.
a
very well pleased. Il was now a fight for life or
DEATH With bayonets, they received the guest
which had crowded himself in upon them, and
which reared himself up wrathfuly, and spread
out wide his great shaggy paws to grasp one Of
our friends, or possibly two three of them, but
suddenly stumbled over his dead cOmrade. Before
he could get up again. the watchu old pilot placed
the muzzle Of his gun at his ear fired and the ft-
rious monster lay weltering In his own blood. At
the same moment Ivan and Gregoryis bayonets
were buried in the enemy's breast until they be-
came convinced that he was dead. The Others
stood at distance to wait the result. Some sauibs
launched among them showed them the back
track, which they indeed took unwillingiy but in
great haste, and it matter of much ioy to our
friends 10 be so rid of them.
i MODEL BUTcHER.--In one OF the market houses
of Philadelphia is genius of a butcher Beneath
his sleeves and apron is the costest broadclotf-
Of the inferior grades, but the finest prodnc
lion of French LOOMS His linen is as iauttless as
his exterior garments. while the gstening surface
no less striking than the gossiness Of his hat and
boots. In the center Of his shirt bosom sparkles
single diamond stone of six carats weight and
of the first water. Upon the little finger OF his left
hand giitters circlet of diamonds, six in number
whose aggregate value Is considerably more than
that of the garniture of his shirt BOSOM His COM
plexion Ia clear red and white-just that style of
complexion which Partisan ladies produce by
due admixture of carTnine and bismuth. He Is
man Of fine physique, and has an avoirdupois of
about 200 pounds. His address is polished, and his
manners courtly and suaye. He commenced life