The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-21

kS around the
saloons and the "blind tigers" in Ia
coma, Wash, not long since, were two
men who attracted considerable atten-
ton from the habitues of these places,
though apparently inclined to avoid it.
They were two rather handsome but
weather-beaten men who had just re-
turned from Alaska, where they had
been employed by syndicate of CAPT
talists on a prospecting tour OF some
sort. The larger one, who was consid-
erably over six feet, and would weigh
two hundred and fifty pounds, was of
retiring, almost sullen disposition.
but wild and reckless when drinking,
while the smaller one was more in
clined to be communicative in his cups.
They were both college graduates, ap-
parenNy, but seemed to be "black
sheep"
One night crowd Of young fellows
had been drinking some, and the two
men mentioned having been pres
emit were invited to join them. The
smaller one, known as Johnny, did,
but the one called Thomson declined
evening good many stories were told,
and when one of the boys wound up on
small bear story it got Johnny started.
People as rule know very little Of
the real characteristics of the bear"
said he. Some are almost harmless,
while some are simply terrible. have
hunted the brown bear in Europe and
the black bear in this country, but
never saw one of either killed in my
life that wasn't a coward"
''The grizzly certainly isn't a cow
ard" remarked one of the boys present.
mo" was the response, "but while
the grizzly is a. terrible brute, it will
not hunt up a human being for the
mere pleasure of fighting and killing
him. The most terrible animal of
the tribe and the only one I regard as
the genuine ursus ferox, is the long
necked polar bear of the north. Nearly
all other bears are primarily vegetari-
ans, although omnivorous. They love
vegetables when they can get them.
But polar bear loves only meat, and
meat he will have. To see the glutton-
Gus creatures hunting and eating fish,
from the freshest to the most offensive
and decayed carrion, is enough to give
an idea of what they are.
Zone singing cold day last winter at
our furthest northern point, we were
waiting to be taken back to a camp,
some hundred miles or more south of
us. The Esquimaux we had engaged
had not arrived, SO while we were wait
ing for them with their dogs and
sledges, we were killing time in little
improvised snow hut. Thomson had been
growing more impatient every minute,
and had been drinking more brandy
than thought desirable. And ! began
to fear he would punish the Esquimaux
and cause some trouble when they ar
rived. Presently, just outside of our
hut, there came an immense white bear
nosing around. AS long as we chose to
stay in the hut we were perfectly safe,
but Thomson's anger now turned itself
loose upon the bear. AS often as we
went out there stood the repulsive
creature. and, after each tour of inspec-
ton, Thomson would take another
drink and curse the bear. At last he
swore he was not going to stand it any
longer, but would go out there and
wiring its neck. With this he grasped
his long bladed bowie knife and walked
out. l called to him and begged him to
stop, but | might as well have been
talking to the wind
Il hurriedlv put on my wraps, and by
the time got out, he was down close
IL
nifcent specimen Of physical manhood
he is Well, you ought To have seen
him then. Every muscle was like
bar of steel. and stimulated by the
brandy he had been drinking, he was
at the summit of physical manhood
Seeing me approaching with my rife
he warned me TO keep hands OFF, as
this was to be duel and no unfair ad-
vantage should be taken knew him
might hit him il shot, so l simply
waited and watched the duel
Thomson tried in every way TO get
around behind the bear. bat the bear
would turn and face him, no matter
how quick ne was. he saw this would
tire him out. so he changed his plan
Walking up in front Of his enemy, he
would taunt him, and then, springing
away, avoid his stroke When the
bear would drop on all fours 70 come
at him Thomson would jump TO one
side 10 close in. and then up the bear
would go on his hind feet again. In a
spirit Of recklessness Thomson stopped
this dilatory pla- by walking right
into the bears arms and cutting ter
rible cash in his abdomen. Such
howl of rage | never heard. and. Of
course, all the claws on each OF the
bears paws sank into Thonson's back