The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-05-16
EATEN BY POLAR BEARS
4 Colored Man Alone Out Of Crow Of
Twelve Lived to Toll the story,

Twelve Lived to Toll the Story.
This is the story q colored sailo
told as he gathered a crowd abou
him in waterfront saloon, says tn,
San Francisco Examiner.
Il was one of the crew OF twelv,
who left this port in 1876 on tn,
whisky trader Nellie for a cruis,
among the islands of the North, and
l was also one of the seven of thar
twelve who reached the shore wher
the vessel went to pieces off St
Mathews Island. OF that seven I wa,
the only one who lived to tell the story
and 1t was my color that saved me.
1T was in June that we wen,
ashore. The wreck occurred early in
the morning. and by noon there
wasn't enough left of the vessel ia
make q cane for a dude. We saved
nothing but our lives and the clothes
on ou! backs. The island was unin.
habited. though it has plenty Of tim.
Der. and We were able to build q shell.
ter of brush and driftwood.
About midnight one of the men
startled US broad awake by q yell which
should have been heard by all the
chips upon the sea. He seemed to be
dragged away by . huge shape. and
We heard his cries grow fainter and
fainter. but didn't dare to follow.
We had no light. and all we could do
was to wait for the morning.
AT dawn We found all that was
left OF our shipmate-a pile Of bones
and blood-stained garments-not 100
yards from our shelter. From tho
tracks in the soft ground We knew he
had been dragged of and eaten by
bears. We found that the island
with polar bears, and con-
,luded that our only safety lay in
climbing tall trees and sleep up
here.
This roosting high like turkeys
rev very tiresome in short order,
Ind we set about building q stout
brush corral. We picked up an ak
With q broken helve in the wrcckage
IN the shore, and in two days had a
corral and hut that looked as il thew
would withstand . herd of elephants.
1.-The bears went through that
rush stOckade as if it had been made
II paper. The men scattered for the
rees. but two of them were caught,
Tiled and eaten.
You may have been told that a
'olar bear is . coward. and that he
Till retreat il . man shows fight.
hats one Of the lies Of those natur-
list chaps, who make habits for ami
aals from the top stories of brick
uildings. Why, get two or three of
hose bears together and hungry and
hey'd attack the United States army.
The death of those two men set
led the question of sleeping. We
idn't try any more stockades but
tuck to the trees, and wished they
ere higher But we coul9n't stay
here always. We had 20 eat, and
lie bears seemed to know it. They
box to coming round during the day
nd shifting at the roots of the trees
here We were. This forced us to
AXE our sallies to the beach togeth-
:. and we had to be very quick
bout gathering the mussels and
her shellfish.
but with all our caution one more
zap was surprised and killed, and
len the three survivors drew lots as
who should gather the days food.
ne man who drew the short twig the
st day refused to go. So we had .
w. and each man had to shift for
mself.
81 starved in my tree three days
fore dared make a dash for food
drink. l could see or hear bears
the time. Finally, ran for it.
allowed as much water as / could
Id and luckily came upon a double
ndfui Of mussels.
The bears didn't bother me, but
e moment the other men attempted
similar feat they were pursued.
lie was Overtaken and eaten. right in
Ain view. Two big beasts laid siege
the tree of the other. He stuck it
t for three days more. and then
IN weakness or delirium fell or Z
rev himself down. c
After that l nearly went mad. I
aid see no hope. Vessels rarely
lched at the island. The mussels r
re nearly all gone from that beach, r
/ expected to be eaten if made a NJ
We. At last, however. was forced r
do something, so / slid to the d
'und and started for the spring. "
Hardly had taken the first sip, Il
on out of the brush came a bear. y,
imped up to run. but in my weak ~
ID condition stumbled. fell and n,
Ildn't rise. The great brute was n
IN ME. and gave up hope. I felt 81
hot breath on my face. He turned e,
over with a rough touch Of . yt
Y. mr.
Then he shifted and went away. in
Boys. polar bears won't eat mig