Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-04

|
mysterious, even where he is abundant and near
by the farmers sheepfold or pig pen, O. he is in
Pennsylvania today-more abundant in that old
settled commonwealth than ever at this hour
| than it was when William Penn started in to
drive out wild, heathenish customs and beasts.
Books have been written steadily chiefly given
| up to bear stories year after year during the
| last century, and the newspaper and magasine
sketches are simply endless in their appearance
| and always interesting. No other animal is 80
endowed by nature that can afford such an en-
| tertainment for the contemplation Of man; and,
with this fact steadily before his eyes, a WELL
| known naturalist told STAR writer today that
he would give him few pointers on bears, and
q fresh story or two, impossible as 1t might
sound.
SIN the first place the bear is cosmopolitan
beast; 1t has family that ranges into the utter
most soiitudes Of the arctic and intermediate
representatives that occupy the temperate as
well as the torrid zones; everywhere It is ready
and eager to eat everything that can be digested
in a warm stomach that belongs to the animal
and vegetable kingdoms, having, of course, little
preferences when it has q choice Of food.
"Its saturnine attack on the seal, its ludicrous
raids on the pig pens and the sweet corn patches
and its cunning work fisherman when fully
seen or indeed only half seen by man. invaria-
bly, form the theme of lively narration when
recollection ia stimulated. Let me tell YOU of
bear that 1 saw at work and which watched
with unbroken delight; it comes to pass in this
way:
BEAR AS A FISHERMAN.
"In 1866 was tramping with an exploring
party at the head waters Of the Itickeen river in
British Columbia. We had pitched our tents on
a small, clear, rapid creek that tumbies music
ally down from the snow-clad mountains Of
the Coast range. 1t was early in August, and
the salmon we're running up its swift shallow
current SO numerously that in places they fairly
SWAIN up half out Of water.
I'VE came into camp very early, and after
preparing for the night several hours Of day
light still remained. I took nv shotgun and q
small tin pail and started down the creek banks,
intending to pick a few berries and shoot q
ruffied grouse or two. A half hours walk car
ried me mile or 50, finding plenty of service
berries (gaultheria), but no birds. wanted
both. however, and rose from the log where I
had sat while picking the last handful of that
palatable wild fruit, determined to investigate
a slap-slap sound which every now and then
came up to my ears from the creek not far away
! thought it was beaver-didn't want to shoot
it, for it was out Of season for its fur, and as
for the fesh-bah
II cautiously threaded my steps through the
poplars and birches, aspens and alders, willows
and spruce trees that lined the stream. looking
carefully ahead at every turn, when 1 came into
you can imagine-here9 sketch Of him:
"a large brown cinnamon bear CLOSELY re-
lated to the grizzly) was standing upright on
his hind legs in depth Of water that came
nearly up to his short tail; he stood near the
border Of low bank, with his back to the set Of
the current, looking down stream; his heavy
forearms were outstretched and paws spread to
their utmost extent, waving them up and down.
right and left, with about the same motion that
the traditional witch uses when she stirs her
caldron and mutters over it; the bears head
was cooked over and down as it intently peered
ir,ffl ofar hot hav,
mass OF salmon came up against the current
those huge paws would descend with all the
force and fapidity at their owners command into
the stream with sidelong or shoveling blow.
which would strike anywhere from one to two
or three salmon, out and up into the air and
over on to the bank few feet distant.
AT the instant first saw Bruin he had lust
Thrown, or, should say, slapped ont big sill
very salmon from the water, and it was sailing in
shining semi-circle over to the banks. on which
1t fell with thump which was clearly heard by
my ears; five or six sleek, slippery fish had pre-
ceded it, and they all tapped together; the bear
apparently paid them no further attention,
never taking its eye of of the water or lowering
its waving arms until 1t again struck out
another. which fell 30 as to be in a fair way to
squirm back in the creek.
DAINTY IN HIS EATING
"Thereupon Bruin, who was not unmindful OF
the situation, Immediately stepped ashore. and
struck the lively fish q square blow over the
head, seized the body and bit out the cheeks.
which were the only part Of the fish that he ate.
He took up the other salmon in turn, eating
nothing but the cheeks of each body, then re,
turned to the water, resumed his position and
again began to literally slap the fish out and mn
on to the bank as be had previously done.
watching the coming Of the schools with that
queer cast to his head which was to me in
tense1y comical.
"As he was q big brown bear, with rough.
harsh fur, and shedding Mt that, did not dis
turb him. sat and followed his movements as
have described them as he alternately caught
and ate his prey until he, gave me the impress
sion that he would be SO engaged for an indea-
mite length Of time. But he suddenly seemed to
weary Of the occupation, for after throwing out
bis last fish he followed it, and, without giving
II any further attention, gave himself thorough
shaking, as q wet dog will do then shifting the
air moment, he scuttled OF into the bushes
out OF my sight, not alarmed by me, but per-
haps attracted by some other bear, or started
for some other quarry.
81 went down to the bank where the bears
fish were strewn; counted fourteen large
salmon, none Of them less than ten pounds In
weight, and OF these fish he had eaton nothing
whether the bear would return and finish ths
spread laid ont by II, later on, am sure 40
not know. But it Il certain that he WA =
dainty feeder ON this occasion.
WILL RuN AWAY FROM NAN,
IA great deal Of popular impression exist. In
the effect that bears are savage and bravo vhen
in their native wilds. have seen 4 treat deal
Of bruin where he 10 at home--polar. ersx,,v
brown and black bears between Alaska And
Mexico, but never nav one that would not
scurry away from the sight Of man ~ RAPIDLY
as its physical organization permitted. e.
pecially there II any chance for escape. or.
course II suddenly surprised, when with = III.