The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-11-05
LONGS LAST SHOT.
A Bear Killed Which Saved the Greedy
Party From Starving.

Party From Starving.
Sergt. Francis Long of Brooklyn, a
survivor of the Greedy 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 i'm small
quantities, had been our fare for over
two weeks and there was not full
round of rations left. More than half
the men in 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 rule
that no one should sleep more than two
hours at time. 1t began to look, with
only one day between us and starva-
ton, as if it might be better for us all
to 90 to sleep together and die uncon-
of hunger. We had plenty of hunting,
fishing, and cooking utensils, ammuni-
ton, and all that, but what good were
| they? 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 shot
at anything.
1.-The day before we came to our last
round of rations had discovered the
tracks of q bear. / had followed them
| about until / was exhausted trying to
meet the beast, but had utterly failed.
This day light snow fell in the morn
| ing, just enough to obscure the trail,
but still hunted. gave it up late In
| the afternoon and returned to tho camp.
Brainerd had gone TO the shrimping-
| ground, and was still absent when 1
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 10 his assistance, and two of
them raised his head in their arms He
gasped and looked at us wildly.
'Braincrd, exclaimed the L.ieuteu-
ant, what is it?'
bear! bear! was all he could an
swer, in choking whisper.
Where, man, where! lcried, reach
ing for my gun, all trembling and
| quiverine with hope and fear.
There he said family, pointing
towards the ridge; he followed after me;
he's coming
"IIow can I tell the terrible excite
mont that prevailcdt 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 mis-
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 ut once for
an all-night hunt over the snow-felds
! and icebergs. 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 gun and firing accurately. The
Lieutenant used his authority and my
influence to quiet the men, and ut 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 he shos,ld continue towards us.
Hardly had we got rod from the
! camp when long white nose appeared
over an ice-eovered rock ut the top of
the hills. The men set up a shout and
/ think it unnerved me, but it was n
! long-range shot, nearly 800 yards, and
the target was small. | raised my gun.
and, taking quick aim, fired. The ball
missed, but it did not 60 wide of its
mark. The bear was startled. He
paused just too short time TO give the
Esquimau a chance ut him and turned
tail and ran. l heard the bowls 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 ut hand.
JAN / said hastily, take the
course to the left and 60 round the
ridge and keep well to the west so rs to
get between the bear and the water. i
will go in the same way on the east
"The faithful Esquimau understood the
plan ut once, and set out without
word. l crawled to the top of the ridge
rs fast as / could, and saw the bear
long way out of range still on the run.
He turned round for n second and look
ed back, and then, as if satisfied that
he was pursued, continued his flight.
didn't go straight after him, but keep
ing out of his sight as much as pos
sible, crawled, and ran, and slid up
and down the icy slopes, making all the
time for the water. | was feverish with
fear. 1t seemed rs if every possible OBJ
struction got in my way, and many
time fell to the ground. 1t was ter
rible chase. May l never have another
like it!
SIT seems incredible now, but actu.
ally went ten miles out of my way to
f.. - L Al.