Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1893-01-18
HUNTING BEAR IN ALASKA.
A Sport That Often Ends In Frozen Ears
and No More.

One dark day in winter, during
heavy snow blizzard. with the Their
mometer down to 10 degrees and the
wind at the rate of forty miles an
hour when the mere thought of out
doors" sent cold shudder through
the system, a native came rushing in
to the station eXclaiming: Nan
nook! hammock! nan-nook!"
To say that all were startled would
be speaking mildly. says the New Bed
ford Standard. We were excited. A
few queries put to the native located
bruin about ten rods from the station,
quietly eating his breakfast from
dead walrus that had drifted ashore
the fall before. Graspng our rifles,
handing one TO the native, which we
kept conveniently at hand. showing
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 wallowing through the deep snow.
Some four or five rods from the station
the steward was met returning with
face and ears frozen. The writer, how
ever, kept on doing his best to keep
the two hunters, Just seen through
the dimness ahead, in sight, when he
heard the report OF a rifle, quickly
followed by the report of another.
Thinking that bruin had at last sue
cumbed 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. Retrac-
ing his steps he arrived at the station
with his 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 sudden
ly came upon bruin quietly feeding
scarcely ten PAGES distant. The ma
tive, being in advance, with ut init
mating his intention raised his rifle
and fired, causing bruin to raise his
head and give an ominous growl. The
assistant, in order to use his rifle more
dexterously, had taken the mitten in
his right hand. In his agitation he
dropped it and the wind whirled it m
stantly out of sight.
In stepping aside to bring the native
out of line he stepped into II 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 flew
all over him and he was SO frightened
that he marched off, they following.
but soon lost sight CT their object.
Perhaps they did not care to get too
near and were perfectly willing he
should go.
One of the natives in the old signal
station. hearing of the occurrence,
mntfled himself up in skins, took his
rifle and supply of cartridges, went
down to within fifteen aces 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 of the flesh at great rate. as
though in anger fer 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.