The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-19
THE MOUNTAIN BEARS.
They Feed Like Goats Among
British Columbia Crags.
ANIMALS or HUGE STATURE.
Pursuit. OF . Herd OF Black and Cinn.-
mon Monsters in the Marble
Hills OF the North.


neena on an exploratory trip ahead of the
expedition, taking half-breed Indian
with me. BY exercising care we were able
to keep to the faint trail that existed on
the left bank for some distance. When l
had travelled for about four miles beyond
the frontier into British ground. I found
that the valley twisted abruptly to the
right, heading nearly due north. The
nature Of the valley beyond this point and
the headwaters of a branch of the Altsehk
river beyond must be reserved for my next
letter. wish to confine myself now to q
rapid summary of the great bear hunt we
INDUCED in while waiting for the clouds to
roll by. Where the valley turns north
ward line of low hills projects, which /
named Frontier Point In order to pass
this obstacle we had repeatedly to wade
the river, and frequently to take to the ex-
asperatlng ana almost impenetrable brush
as an alternative. On the mountain be-
hind q wide face of granite is exposed, re-
sembling huge quarry, and brief dis
lance higher up the stream some huge
blocks of almost pure white marble,
rounded by the action of water, and evil
IDENTIFY brought down to their present posi-
ton by some prehistoric glacier of the ice
age, lay alongside the bank and measured
about forty feet in diameter. / had mis-
taken them in the distance for blocks of
snow. But to return to the bears. We were
having lunch. or rather was, as my half
breed companion was rather fond of
displaying his capacity for abstemiousness
while undergoing these exhausting
marches. when, with q field-glass,
sighted what resembled round black ball
moving across a snowslide in a valley fac
ing us on the left bank of large glacier,
which was completely covered by mo-
raines. The animal was. of course, black
bear having yethi thick winter coat. and
was distant from US at least mile and a
half. This was the first intimation that /
bad that black bears, as well as brown,
might be as numerous as we found them
to be hereabouts. Though it was nearly
sunset, we started of at once, hoping, to
intercept the animal. because the nights
were already SO light that it was possible
to travel. when necessary. through
out the twenty-four hours. / was
carried over q portion of the river on
my companions back. but the water
came over the tops of his high gum boots
and he staggered so fearfully that consid-
ering the stony bottom and the swiftness
of the current decided not to risk total
immersion on another occasion but to
trust to my own legs. Having once found
the bear with the aid of glasses, it was
easy to keep it in sight with the unaided
eye, as it was evidently making for the
river with the intention of crossing just
where the ice-cold stream issued with
rush and roar from cavern in the ice
at the foot OF the glacier. As we had only
one rifle, which / carried myself, left the
half-breed at this point, but high up out
OF the way of tine animal in case he
might give it the alarm before had a
chance Of shooting. With all the speed l
could summon / commenced to climb the
moraine or mountainous heaps of loose
stones brought down by the ice, intending
to make q circuit to q point which COM
manded an unimpeded view of the ravine.
/ had not gone far before hearing foot
steps amongst the unstable blocks of rock
behind me, and found that my companion
had decided to follow. had never before
observed so many and variegated blocks
and chips of marble as on this
moraine, not worn or blunted. but
like the stones of which all moraines
consist, freshly Clipped and broken with
sharp edges, just as they had fallen from
the cliffs, heaped IN in ridges, with the
blue ice occasionally showing itself below,
and ready to slide down in noisy avalanches
upon the slightest pressure of the foot.
The ice below seemed to be about 200 feet
in thickness. and / gave it the name of
Marble glacier, covered as it was with
green, white, purple, orange, black, mauve
and gray marble, granite, sandstone, slate
and quartz. We presently reached the
farther or northern edge of the glacier,
where / expected to find the bear below
me not more than fifteen yards away.
The ravine Immediately below was partially
filed mp with snow, and on the opposite
side was a clump of frs. and behind
he NM eli
cred thickly with yellow scrub, but
this was SO backward compared to the
ChIicat valley below that it was still bare of
leaves / had been in such hurry to ar
rive at this point before the bear got there,
and so much occupied IN selecting route
across the moraine, that / had not be-
slowed glance at the mountain overhead.
No black bear was visible as we peered
carefully into the ravine below, but on the
bare patches between the willow patches
upon the declivities above where no less
than five black bears in different places,
half mile apart; three about 1000 feet
above US, and two others lower down, all
of them busily employed in feeding upon
the bright green heritage, which had just
commenced to show itself above the sur
face, where it was bare of snow. While /
was observing this curious spectacle Gin
namon beer slowly passed an open glade
between the springs across the gull
". and ! quickly dropped into posi-
ton for shot, but some movement
prompted by curiosity in my attendant ma
tive, had given the alarm, and the animal
passed again into the thicket. Keeping out
OF sight, ran on in q parallel direction,
hoping to be able to command with my
rifle an open spot across which the bear
must necessarily pass. In place of keeping
out of sight my companion remained upon
the ridge, and the first notification ! had
of this fact was his exclaiming that after
standing upon Its hind legs it had galloped
off as hard as it could go. It was too late
and too dark to think of attacking any OF
the five bears above us, whilst il would
take until the small hours of the morning
TO reach campo again, by setting out i'm
mediately. On re-descending into the val
ley we found that the bear on coming to
our tracks had bounded away without
crossing them, and had done so somewhat
hurriedly, as could be seen by the heavy
traces of his backward spring.
The following day we commenced pack
ing q few necessaries. together with as
much food as could conveniently be car
ried, for q rapid trip to the headwaters OF
the Altsehk and return. 1t the weather
should not allow US to proceed across the
pass determined to devote day or more
to the bears, which We were enabled to do,
as circumstances turned out. A cold rain
continued to fall all day, and at sunset we
were able to pitch Camp 10 about mile
from the glacier in thick patch of timber.
Though IN land of running streams water
was unfortunately 500 yards from camp,
which caused some inconvenience until the
idea was conceived of carrying il into camp
in an oil bag. In the evening climbed to
the identical spot on the moraine whence
| had previously seen the six bears, and
observed three now feeding on the oppo-
site slope. One bear seemed to offer q
chance for nearer approach without be-
4 lengthy and fatiguing scramble. creeping