Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1893-09-03
EDEN FOR %sPORTSMEN.
It May DO Found Along tho Shores
OF ALASKA
IL Is n Region That Actually Teens With
BIRD LILO Streams Filled with t:Amy
Trout-hn Old Hunters 1.-Two
~ Experloues.

lsA III ap AAS AASAAS hAANA 80
place OF the fur seal and n place where
tourists 10 during the brief summer TO
Sec SONG of the grlndcst scenery OF this
continent, says the San rrancisso
Chronicle. To speak Of Alaska is u
suggest to the mind - picture OF vast
glaciers, rugged, suow-cappcd noun
ta;us and impcnctrablc forcsts-a land
OF ~dcsolation and silence.
How different from this mental pic-
turc Is the reality 4 only be under
stood after n trip taken TO this land OF
queer contrasts which Will not only
co-cr the ground usually travcrscd b.
tourists but extend westward along the
beautiful Alcatian archipelago, tho
numerous islands in Nchring sea II
the icc-Girllcl shores Of the Arctic
ocean. During Blk months OF the year
nll this region actually teens with life.
There IL not m island or rocky ledge In
Eci.ring sea which will not hold the Oh
servers attention for hours If he be \
lo-cr of nature. with the myriads OF
birds which find in the c~rrviccs OF tho
cliffs just the place to rear their young.
At ST. George island, IL Of the Pri-
bylov group, there Is IL particular
place that never Loses its fascination for
the student Of bird life. The northwest
end of the island shows q perpendicular
mural cliff nearly one thousand feet
high, facing the sea. 1t Is shattered
and broken into millions of shclf-lil;o
projections, buttrcsscs and pinnaclcs
h.; the action of frost, and during the
height CT tho breeding season every lit
tic crevicc seems to contain 4 bril-
H'I,nrN - rp,,--NC ,-,l r,,ll- 1-ittyIpolrNc
bha3E. puI:ins and I'll the known ncri-
bcrs Of the sca-bird families, screaming
and chattcriag rs il their very lives de-
pended upon making n noise.
But IL the sight Of SO many birds par
tally concealed ~ the rocks Is inspir-
i:g, the exhibition of life and energy IL
empowering when, rs something hap
pcr.s, they are disturbed. Then from
the face of this great cliff, q thousand
fcct high and over 4 mile long, y cGta-
ract OF whirrinS, screaming, shrici;ing
birds PourS down and toward the sea,
filing the air with an understandable.
dcafcning roar, ard then, rising again.
thcy form long lines or flight, which
seem like parti-colorcd ribbons girdling
the island.
Leaving the Pribylov group and
steering to the northwest some two
hundred miles, the ext and to be seen
II St. Matthew's island. Here, too,
bir,ls abound, and rs the island is unin-
habitca by man, the birds are free from
disturbance except from the natural
enemy. the fox, and an occasional
polar bear. Around the edges Of the
salt marshes found on the eastern end
Of ST. Matthew's cider ducks nrc found
in great numbers. The birds arc but
indifferent flyers, and it is one Of the
amusing experiences OF the Arctic roy.
niger to see the awkward efforts Of
the clumsy bird to get out OF the way
OF IN approaching steamer. They iintl
it extremely difficult 10 rise from tho
water, especially il are be no wind,
and IN approaching vessel causes them
10 flap noisily along the surface for q
distance, and then, rs il animated by a
single purpose, hundreds of them will
dive, only to rcappcar n few moments
later and struggle of again.
The lover of field sports would find n
gurncr's paradise along The shores of
tic Arctic ocean in the summer season.
Curlcvv, snipe and ducks arc 50 plentiful
That ono tires o~fshootinS them. So for as
known h canvaSbaclS duck, SO much
priced by ~gourmands, is not found
north OF the Arctic circle: but the de-
hcious little green and bluc-winpcd
teal and tootlisomc mallard nrc found
everywhere along the coast and on tn.
banks Of the streams.
During the last of May, when the late
Arctic spring FIRST shows signs OF open.
ny, the natives begin to look anxiously
tonthward Tor the coming OF the en-.
pcror goose. This bird forms one of the
principal articles Of food supply to the
natives and during the noting season
the slaughter Of the birds is enormous.
Long meta arc set across the marshes
and the water fowl are driven into them
by tac natives Thousands OF Young
birds are killed in these drives by the
savagcs, who excuse them.
selves by saying that they will thus
prevent them being in the way the next
drive.
Orc OF the handsomcst small birds
oundi in ALASKA, and ono affordinp tho
best sport for shooting, Is the rcd phala-
rope. 1t is abundant along the coast
Hnd on all tho islands OF Bchring sca.
about Juno !, and Is co,r.nou
until October 20. The 1ight of tho
phalaropc is very e~rratic, and tho gun.
nor fond Of wing shooting has In this
bird an excellent chance TO test his skill.
Should THO sportsman grow weary Of
trainping over tho half-loodcI fats md
plains of the northern coast.
form the breeding places of tho
IL snipc, and desire less
Inonotonous cunning, let him land OIL
my one Of the Alcutian islands, md
high up on the sidcs Of the noun.
Iains, he will find the ptarmigan or rocl,
Thi3 beautiful bird ~frcoucnta
TIC higher slopes along the line OF tho
hills during tho summer season, and TO
reach Its haunts onc must be n good
tiimbcr, sound In %ind and limbindccd,
Tor the way is rough nnd there nrc no
roads.
Upon the steep gr~ass.covcrcd slopcs
The hunters joy will lead him, over in.
lcicropping masses OF volcanic rock md
lcross brawling mountain strcn,na
where tho trout love 10 live In the deem
pools, md so on until he reaches tho
low. Here he may pause for n mo-
ncnt to gaze downward where tho blue.
hinged waters of the bay arc softly Inn.
ping the shore. Int his hunters blood
VII not permit Of long delay, and when
TIC deep whirr.r.r OF n passing grouse
him every nerve IL strung, and
iinid some OF tho most beautiful scenery
n America his sport begins.
No Muairfan.
IA L. "