The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-03
/ AN ARCTIC BEAR HUNT.
4 met that sayea the orssiy survivors
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4 met that savsa the orssly survivor
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Correspondents Philadelphia Timos.
Sergeant Francis Long of Brooklyn,
N. Y, a survivor OF the Greedy Arctic
expedition, tells tho following bear
story, which has hitherto been scarce.
ly more than mentioned in the &c.
counts ofStarvation Camp. Ho says:
''Dacon, shrimps and senlskin stew,
oil in 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 wero
incapable of work, but that was little
matter, for there was no more to do
than three could handle. The steady
cold mnde us all drOwsy, and there
was the worst danger in sleep. II u
man was allowed to have his sleep out
he certainly would never wake, 80 VT
had to make q rule that no one should
sleep more than lwo hours ut u time.
1t began to look, with only one day
between us and starvation, az il it
might be better for us all to go to sleep
ether and die unconscious of the
q" .Dle cold and the pnngs OF tho
hunger. We had plenty OF hunting,
fishing and cooking utensils, ammuni-
ton and ill that, but what good were
they? There was no game, no fish.
During all Of our camp we caught only
two fish. Twas the hunter OF the par-
ty, and had tramped the region over
and over, and rarely had the luck to
get shot ut anything.
'"1'he day before We came to our
last round of rations had discovered
the tracks OF a bear. had followed
them about until | was exhausted
trying to meet the beast, but had ut
terly failed. On this day IL light snow
fell in the morning, just enough to OBJ.
scure the trail, but still l hunted. l
gave it up late in the afternoon and
returned to camp. Brainerd hadgone
to the shrimping ground, and was
still absent when laid by my gun.
Suddenly he appeared running down
Cemetery Ridge rs fast as his poor
weak legs would bring him. We all
started up and waited his coming in
tho 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.
'Brainered,' exclaimed the Lieu
tenant, what is it?'
"'Bear! bear' was all he could an-
swer in choking whisper.
"Where, man, wherc?' Icricd, reach.
ing for my gun, all trembling and
quivcring with hope and fear.
There, he said, family, pointing
towards the ridge. 'lI.followcd after
me. He's coming
GLOW con tell tho terrible excite
mcnt 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
killing the bear, and were with diff
Guilty restrained from falling upon
him to wreak vengeance. He had not
taken his gun with him; nobody ever
did who went shrlmping, and they
cursed and raved at that and burst
into tears ut the loss of their last
chance for life. Others, and they were
tho weakest men i'll the party, were
for starting out ut once for I'm all
night hunt over the snowfieltls and
icebergs. Nothing could be more fool
hardy. They couldn't have gone be-
yond the top OF the ridge without
breaking down, to say nothing OF
carrying q 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 IL few
minutes, but it seemed an hour. Jan
the Esquimau, and l started up tho
ridge to meet the bear if he should
continue toward us.
Hardly had VIC got rod from the
camp when n long white nose appear
cd over IN Recovered rock at the top
of the hill. The men set up % shout,
and think it unncrved me, but it was
q long range shot-nearly three hun
dred yards-and the t,lrgct WIS small.
! raised my gun and, taking u quick
aim, fired. The ball missed, but it,litl
not 60 wide of it's mark. The bear
WIS startled. lIo paused Just too
short u time to give the Esquimau q
chance ut him and turned tail and
ran. 1 heard tho howls and groans of
disappointment and rasc behind me.
/ believe that some of those poor,
half-starved, half-frozcn men would
have shot ut me in their anger if they
had had their guns ut hand.
'Jan, l s;.id hastily, take tho
course to the left, and 90 around the
ridge and keep well to the west, so as
to keep between the bear and the
water. will 80 on in the same way
OH the east
''The faithful Esquimau understood
the plan ut once and set out without
q word. / crawlcd to the top OF the
ridge ne fast as could and saw the
bear q long way off out of range, still
on the run. He turned around for u
second and looked back, and then, as
If satisfied that he was pursued, con-
tinued his flight. didn't 30 straight
after him, but keeping out Of his sight
us much Us possible, cr;.wlctl and ran
and slid up and down tho icy slopes,
making all tho time for the water. /
was feverish with fear. 1t seemed as
if every possible obstruction got in my
way, and many u time l fell to the
ground. 1t was a terrible chase. May
never have another like it.
ut seems incredible now, but actu-
ally went ten miles out OF my way to
get in front of that bear. knew that
he would stop running when he got
over his scare and saw nobody in pllr-
suit, and ! had to take this round
about course to keep out OF sight.
Mighty little of that distance was
passed ON tho run. Most OF it was
crawled. But had no thought otgiv-
ing up. Iplugged on, and at last, two
hours and IL half after leaving camp,
gained the position | wanted. 1
climbed u low hill and there was bruin,
1000 yards away, sitting down after
his hard run within thirty yards OF
open water. Jhad not succeeded fully
in my plan. He could telescope, but
his back was towards ME and | did
mot 6panoir Almnut Of f1,o Game, 49,