The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-09-02
SERGT. LONGS LAST SHOT.
A Bear Killed Which Saved the Greedy
Party From Starving.

survivor of the Greely Arctic expedi-
ton, tells the following bear story,
which has hitherto been scarcely more
than mentioned in the accounts of
Starvation Camp. He says: Bacon,
shrimps, and seal-skin stew, all in small
quantities, had been our fare for over
two weeks and there was not a full
round of rations left. More than half
the men III camp were incapable of
work, but that was little matter for
there was no more to do than three
could handle. The steady cold made
Us all drowsy and there was the worst
danger in sleep. If man was allowed
to have his sleep out he would certainly
never wake, SO we had to make a rule
that no one should sleep more than two
hours at time. II began to look, with
only one dav between us and starva-
ton, as if it might be better for us all
TO go to sleep together and die uncon-
scious of the terrible cold and the pangs
of hunger. We had plenty of hunting,
fishing, and cooking utensils, ammuni-
ton, and all that, but what good were
theyP There was no game, no fish.
During all our camp we caught only
two fish. was the hunter of the party,
and had tramped the region over and
over and rarely had the luck to get a shot
at anything
The day before we came to our last
round of rations | had discovered the
tracks of bear. l had followed them
about until | was exhausted trying to
meet the beast, but had utterly failed.
This day light snow fell in the morn
in a,,nnnh 10 nhSnI1p.a tho trail
but still hunted. gave it up late in
the afternoon and returned to the camp.
Brainerd had gone to the shrimping
ground, and was still absent when |
laid by my gun. Suddenly he appear
ed, running down Cemetery Ridge as
fast as his poor weak legs would bring
him. We all started up and waited his
coming in the most painful excitement
When he reached the camp he fell to
the ground all out of breath. The men
crawled to his assistance, and two of
them raised his head in their arms He
gasped and looked at us wildly.
. ,Brainerd.' excla imed the Lieuten-
ant, what is it?
Bear! bearr was all he could an
swer, in a choking whisper.
Where, man, where? cried, reach
ing for my gun, all trembling and
quivering with hope and fear.
There he said family, pointing
towards the ridge; 'he followed after me;
he's coming.
How can l tell the terrible excite
ment that prevailed? The men were
in perfect frenzy. Cruel suffering had
made them worse than unreasonable.
Some of them could think of nothing
but cursing poor Brainerd for not kill
ing the bear, and were with difficulty
restrained from falling upon him to
wreak vengeance. He did not take his
Gun with him. Nobody ever dId who
went shrimping, and they cursed and
raved at that and burst into tears at the
loss of their last chance for life. Others
and they were the weakest men in the
party-were for starting out at once for
an all-night hunt over the snow-felds
and ieebergs. Nothing could be more
foolhardy. They couldn't have gone
beyond the top of the ridge without
breaking down, to say nothing of carry
ing a gun and firing accurately. The
Lieutenant used his authority and my
influence to quiet the men, and at last
the plan of the hunt was arranged. 1t
was really only few minutes, but it
seemed an hour. Jan, the Esquimau,
and | started up the ridge to meet the
bear if be should continue towards U.s.
Hardly had we got a rod from the
camp when long white nose appeared
over an ice-coyered rock at the top of
the hills. The men set up shout and
| think it unnerved me, but it was
long-range shot, nearly 500 yards, and
the target was small. | raised my gun,
and, taking quick aim, fired The ball
missed, but it did not 90 wide of its
mark. The bear was startled. He
paused Just too short time to give the
Esquimau a chance at him and turned
tail and ran. | heard the howls and
groans of disappointment and rage be-
hind me. | believe that some of those
poor half-starved, half-frozen men would
have shot at me in their anger if they
had had their guns at hand.
JAN | said hastily, take the
course to the left and 90 round the
ridge and keep well to the west SO as to
get between the bear and the water. |
will 90 in the same way on the east
The faithful Esquimau understood the
plan at once, and set out without
word. l crawled to the top of the ridge
as fast as | could. and saw the bear a
long way out of range still on the run.
lie turned round for a second and look
ed back, and then, as if satisfied that
he was pursued, continued his flight.
| didn't 60 straight after him. but keep
ing out of his sight as much as pos
siDle, crawled, and ran, and slid up
and down the icy slopes, making all the
time for the water | was feverish with
fear. 1t seemed as if every possible OBJ
struction got in my way. and many
time l fell to the ground. 1t was ter
! rible chase. May never have another