The Portland daily press., 1891-12-25
BEAR HUNTING IN ALASKA.
These Explorers Were Too Badly Fright
ened and Frozen to Shoot.

These Explorers Were Too Badly Fright
encd and Frozen to Shoot.
One dark day in winter, during a
heavy snow blizzard, with the thermom-
eter down to 40 dogs. and the wind at
the rate Of forty miles an hour, when
the mere thought of outdoors sent
cold shudder through the system, ma
tive came rushing into the station ex-
claiming, "Nan-nooki nan-nookl man.
nook!" To say that all were startled
would be speaking mildly. We were
excited. A few queries put to the native
located bruin about ten rods from the
station, quietly eating his breakfast
from a dead walrus that had drifted
ashore the fall before. Grasping our
rifles, handing one to the native, which
we kept conveniently at hand, showing a
few cartridges into our pockets, throw
ing on whatever garments came at hand,
we sailed forth for Mr.. Bruins skin.
A short distance from the station the
assistant passed the writer, his long legs
having decided advantage in wallow-
ing through the deep snow. Some four
or five rods from the station the steward
was met returning with face and ears
frozen. The writer however kept on
doing his best to keep the two hunters,
just seen through the dimness ahead, in
sight, when he heard the report of rifle
quickly followed by the report of an
other; thinking that bruin had at last
succumbed, the writer hurried on until
he came to the dead walrus, when he
stopped to listen. Nothing of bruin or
hunters could be seen and nothing
but the bowling of the winds could be
heard. Retracing his steps he arrived
at the station with face frostbitten and
both ears frozen. Some half an hour
after the assistant and native returned
and the assistant tells the following
story:
Approaching the place they suddenly
came upon bruin quietly feeding, scarce
ly ten PAGES distant. The native being
in advance without intimating his inten-
ton raised his rifle and fired, causing
bruin to raise his head and give an ON
nous growl. The assistant, in order to
use his rifle more dexterously, had taken
the mitten in his right hand, in his agi-
tation dropped it and the wind whirled
it instantly out of sight. In stepping
aside to bring the native out of line he
stepped into hollow, came near falling,
thereby losing his sight on the bear
when he fired. He thinks his bullet
must have struck very near the animal,
as the snow few all over him, and he
was 80 frightened that he marched off,
they following, but soon lost sight of
their object. Perhaps they did not care
to get too near and were perfectly will
ing he should CO. One of the natives in
the old signal station hearing of the &C.
currence muff1ed himself up in skins,
took his rifle and a supply of cartridges,
went down to within fifteen PAGES of the
dead walrus, sat down and waited for
Mr.. Bruin to come back and finish his
breakfast.
He had not long to wait, for bruin
soon came and commenced tearing off
the flesh at a great rate, as though in
anger for having been driven away and
now determined to make up for lost
time. at the proper moment the native
raised his rifle and fired, killing the
brute instantly. Help being near, he
was dragged into the old station and
skinned, the carcass furnishing good
supply of fresh meat for the natives and
his skin proving to be one of the largest
and finest the writer ever saw.-Alaska
Cor. New Bedford Standard.