News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-04
4 PLAGUE OF INSECTS,
What Ii, schvatzla Found up ID Northern
Alaska.

A fair wind one day made me think
Il nossible to take hunt inland, but,
tn nv DISGUST, it died down after had
proceeded two or three miles, and my
fiqht back to camp with the mosquitoes
I shall always remember as one OF the
salient points Of my life. It seemed as
if there was an upward rain OF insects
from the grass, that became deiuge
over marshy tracts and more than haII
the ground was marshy. OF course not
sign Of any game was seen except
few old tracks and the tracks OF an ami
NAL are about the only part of 1t that
could exist here in the mosquito season,
which lasts from the time the snow 1s
half off the ground until the first severe
frost. a period of some three or four
months, During that time every living
creature that can leave the valley as
cends the mountains, closely following
the snow line, and even there, peace Is
not completely attained, the exposure
to the winds being of far more benefit
than the GOODNESS due to the altitude,
while the mosquitoes are left undisputed
masters of the valleys, except for few
struggling animals on their way from one
range of mountains to the other. Had
there been any game, and had obtained
fair shot, honestly doubt if l could
have secured it, owing to these pests;
not altogether on account OF the raven
Gus attacks upon my face, and especially
the eyes, but for the reason that they
were so absolutely dense that it was i'm
possible to see clearly through the mass
in taking aim. When got to camp
was thoroughly exhausted with my In
cessant fight, and completely out of
breath, which had to regain as best
could in sitting smoke from dry, resin
Gus pine knots. A traveller who had
spent summer on the Lower Yukon,
where I did not find the pests so bad ON
my journey as on the upper river, was
of opinion that nervous person with
out mask would soon be killed by ner-
vous prostration, unless he were to take
refuge in mid-stream. / know that the
native dogs are killed by the mosquitoes
under certain circumstances, and lheard
reports, which | believe to be well
founded, both from Indians and trust
worthy white persons, that tho great
brown bear-erroneously but commonly
called the grizzly-of these regions Is at
times compelled to succumb to these In
scots. The statement seems almost pro-
posterous, but the explanation is COM
paratively simple. Bruin, having ex-
haustcd all the roots and berries of one
mountain, or finding them scarce, thinks
he will cross the valley to another range,
or perhaps 1t is the odor of salmon
washed up along the rivers banks that
attracts him. Covered with heavy fur
on his body, his eyes, nose, and ears are
the vulnerable points for mosquitoes,
and here of course they congregate in
the greatest numbers. At last, when
he reaches swampy stretch, they rise
in myriads, until his forepaws are kept
80 busy, as he strives to keep his eyes
clear of them, that he cannot walk,
whereupon he becomes enraged, and,
bear-like, rises upon his launches to
fight 1t is now q mere question of time
until the bears eyes become so swollen
from innumerable bites as to render him
perfectly blind, when he wanders help
lessly about until he gets mired In the
marsh, and SO starves to death.