The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-06-11
TIE cRAsHrNa cnNrrNrrn

ana ear brought tne no lOulcalloh Ahat tlbheI
the second on any more bears were moving. So
] returned, aud with much greater content
ment com pieted the skiuning. As for the
veHison, had no use for hash, SO ] let il stay,
simply cutting of the tail as n trophy.
When had the skin nicely packed and tied
up D strips Of deer hide discovered that IL was
about as much as ] wanted 10 do 10 roll It,
could lift but not carry il. So pushed il TO
the edge aud sent il down after its mate for
better or worse and then following an easier
route reached the bottom Of the hill.
at once made for my canoe, aud finding II
safe followed the WATERS edge until j came
opposite the rapids. ] then turned toward the
hills aud reached point Just below tho bluh
Here ] found my roll Of skin and traces Of the
descent Of the live bear, for there were bushes
broken and bloody tracks right down 20 the
waters edge. Evidently Mrs. b. had taken
bath as finish 70 her precipitate flight down
hitl
With much labor | rolled the skin down and
20 avoid trouble lanched ID into the water above
the rapids, and then running along pushed
out my canoe, and getting into It, padded out
into the stream 10 await the arrival Of the
bate. But it never came. Whether il sank or
passed me among the whirling waters
I NEVER KNEW.
so / returned 60 the ship mpty-handed.
] held my tongue about the whole affair, for
AIIt LnlllhD " no Atlab Oh out game
anu has not a hair TO show, generally gets the
credit that Baron Munchausen did. lpreierrcd
the reputation Of an unsuccessful hunter TO
that.
The Indians never seek brown bears, ms
tle few encounters which they have W. tn them
usually end ia severe wounds or death The
white hunters rarely disturb them for the skin
is Of litlie account and the flesh no good.
Some months later had another meeting
with a bear. but ] viewed this performance
from a distance. ] bad been watching some
Indians making a catch Of salmon for their
Winter supply Of food, and wandered up the
STR am, prospecting for gold.
My atterUIOH was drawn TO a bear, who was
apparently admirinE its image in the water.
i,eeI ing on trcc which had fallen across tho
sire M. Bruin WIS hanging his head and paw
close 20 the water. Surprised, j waited and
watched before turning the point, and coming
into view ] saw him with a sudden, quick
stroke Of he paw scoop large salmon out Of
the water and land il well up the bank, then
20 up and careiessly
BITE LARGE PIECE
out Of its back at the fOre-shoulder.
Bruin went back to his perch and In a few
seconds scooped another. A similar bite was
taken from this, and then hack again he went.
This continued unul some 10 or ~ had been
seized and the one bite taken out aud eaten !;
marched Of into the woods.
won't up and examined both the place and
the fish, not understanding why the brute
should have eaten so little. There seemed no
reason, and | was afcrward told that that WIS
the hears invariable custom. Noting the fact
that this was evidently the resort Of this If
not other bears, from the worn condition Of the
tree, / came back the following day 10 get
good shot, bnt evidently too late az Bruin had
4 IEl1pd and puteU Ms meal att3 Wnna
- ! retaned the second day, aud selecting a
good spot made all my plans and arrangements.
] waited with great patience. Presently / was
rewarded by tne appearance Of bear, but
much 10 my disgust il was only black one.
Disappointed rose from my conccalment aud
advancing gave 4 shout. Bruin rose took one
look and thcn with more speed than grace
sen utJlcd oti assisted by bullet from my rife.
The thought never came into my head that
there might be another. Singing my rife
oven my shoulder started OF up the stream TO
LOOK FOR DEER.
4 ] had gone only lew steps. when right before
I me- some 80 yards away, stood the largest brown
I bear J ever saw ont OF a menagerie cage.
lie had his eve on me as soon as saw him,
and with snsrl came numbering along. To
uusilng aud cock my rife was the work Of q
second, and aiming, l pulled the trigger, only
! % hear NOISY click. With al impatient jerk
/ j hung the old cartridge out and forced a fresh
UHr in and aimed again,
This time ] was happy, FOR Bruin, pausiug in
4 his onward march. rose on bis hind legs aud
/ with most expressive hug Of his fore paws,
4 iuered upoH me aud gnashcd his teeth. Aim
1 iur vhile ne stood upright, / sent an ounce
4 bulIet fan into hIs breast
BADLY ldt he dropped 70 bic fore-fcct. and
VIII. bi9oa-curdlin g5ows came lOT me- ORce
more ] let him have d.. tris tine in The fore
/ head and ] heard the bullet as, glaaciug, IL
! eut Ntisting of. Another in the left fore
saau l.r and without waiting ior a closer brush
Will iAo now n nriaied brute ] ran as hard
as ] could tor LOO yards aud turned.
As J ran ] slipped four cartridges into the
receiver 70 Gil the places Of those used. When
! turned there was no sign Of the hear. /
slowly Fetraccd my steps until ! could see the
/ place again.
There was Bruin, helplessly rolling on tho
/ ground, trying % advance by short jumps, bGi
making no progress. His
QCIcE EYEs saw ME-
and fairly roaring, be wollowcd toward me
/ Making q short circuit gained a position from
which ] could give him his death shot but II
seemed as though be would never get enough.
-Four times j struck him over vital parts
and then be fairly bled 20 death. Fully %
minutes after ] put my FIRST bullet into hi,
/ heart, did the huge carcass writhe aud struggle
] felt sorry for his agony, but could but con,
1 siueI lhat haa acted entirely ln seif-deicnEe.
was proud OF my prize. felt that / could
now meet grizzly and not shiyer and with
ali tie hunting have done, aud the big game
j have baEged, / felt then aud feel now thai
the hercest most appalling Of all is the Amer
can grizzly Zoe not 10 be despiaed al
enemy who hcstates not TO give battle, nt
matter when or where, and an animal Of such
teuacity to life that it will run a dozen yard
and mangle It's enemy with q bullet in it
/ heart
got no more bears during the remainder o
my stay IN Alaska but determined that If
ever met one again would avoid his chaleng
O. combat Il possible. for beyond the pleasure
Of killing or being killed there il nothing il
hunting them.
Later ] viii give little story Of how somt
hunters went out 10 hunt bears but got huBte,
and routed.
fT0 be cont iuitedD