The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-26
ALISK1,y ABLE HEARS.
Worthy Cousins OF the Grizzly and More
ferocIoua thnn lie Vow L..

aLISKI'S ABLE HEARS.
Worthy Cousins OF the Grizzly and Mors
Ferocious than Ire Now L..
Fum the Seattle Telegraph.
bordering tho shores of COok's Inlet. Kodiak
Island, and the Alaskan peninsula. as far west
ward as Unimok Island, Is the habitat " tho
Alaskan brown bear tursuS Richdr,isonin, n
huge, shaggy animal, varying in length from six
pounds. This bear possesses ali the courage
and tierceness OF Ills Southern cousin. the
grizzly, ami he has been hunted so little rs yet
that lie IL absolutely fearless OF man, and is an
exceedingly dangerous adversary. The ISL
and OF Kodiak. being more settled than
the other localities mentioned, Is less favor
able As a hunting ground FOR the sports
man than the wilder regions adjacent. This
end OF the island. On the west the country is
more open, and on that account seems to be pre-
ferred, 10y the bear. There, Is still good sport to
he had in certain localities hcrcabout, and native
guides can always be obtained at the villages
situated ON the shores of the bays or on the
banks of the salmon streams in this vicinity.
Being an expert fisher. the bear frcqients,
during the salmon season, all the river. pmpty "
ing into Behring Sea and the North Pacific ard
their tributaries rs far rs the fish gp. After
the salmon run is over the animal retreats into
the recesscs of the hills. where berries and small
The brown bear is the grcu. road maker Of
this part OF ALASKA. Not only are the banks Of
numbering bruies, but tho swanipy plains are
crossed in every direction by paths leading to
the hills. The traveller will do well to follow
them in his .jonrneying across tho country. az
they invariably lead To the best fordins plncrs
OF streams and form the easiest routes to the
hills. The northern limit of the brown b"ar's
habitat is. as Yet, undetermined. but | have
seen them In the interior rs far rs latitude 90.
and they probably range still further.
My first encounter with one uf these animals
was a startling experience for me, and | have
always thought equally 50 for the bear. We
"fthc Koow%S RRffySSrr ali DAY. aud imnGd toWaTSd 'T nIrh,.
tall pitched our tent at the base Of II l,ish blur
S i%['paPS van !nf b rifs' p SanH Of fh siim siF%sm tho W bIat
Ia get u look Mt tho count ", and was walking
leisqrely along With my gun C,artlcssly held in
covered almost to the edge with spruce and
aiders. and the underground was so thick that
u was impossible to see more than II few feet
through II. Ahead of me- II cluster Of rocks
oircrcd n temporary place to sit down and enjoy
the View. and ] made iOr It,.
Just as l reached the nearest rock a tremen-
dOus shaggy animal arose apparently from
under my feet, amt | Immediately recognized IN
natives had been telling me !ur weeks. My first
Instinct was IA, shoot. and probably would
have upne ~ had my gun been in my right hand,
but the fret motion ] made the bear reared on
his Launches and was 50 formidable looking
tlat Cniciuu.n 70 wait hhd see what he in
tended doing. After a moments hesitation.
during which he turned lis head from side To
side and licked hi. chops IN " most suggestive
fashion. he dropped an, all fours, aud with won
dcrlul Iuirkncss turned and spTNng ont of sixht
in the dcnsc underground.
Nhen ] RETURNED 20 camp AMI. related NV eN-
p]ericncc Tah-tah-ruk, my native guide. assured
Inc that the hear must have recently cInrludrI
II heavy meal, rs otherwl Use ne would have most
certainly attacked me.
The mIinland II Alaska adjacent To the island
OF Cnga is full of brown bear, and, although
somcw hat smaller than those found on the west
side Of Cooks inlet, they are sufficiently fierce
and Gggres,iNG; Some officers from one Of tho
Hcrendeen Bay during the summer of 1891
on u deer hunt, and ore OF the party saw a bear
about 100 yards distant eating berries. With
out a thought of the consequences he raised
his gun, aud fired Mt the animal. The shot
went wide OF, the mark, but at the report of
the gun the bear started tor the hunter On a
dead run. His charge was met by "A shower of
bullets from the Officers repeater, hut although
badly wounded the infuriated brute dil not hes
itate an instant, but rushed straight Mt his en-
envy. When within about ten feet Of the hunter
the bear rose on his Launches ana prepared to
close. BloOd was pouring III streams down his
body. One bullet had shattered his upper jaw,
but he was still 70 fall Of right that the outcome
doubtful had not another nt the party arrived
and ended tn" fight by shooting the brute
bears body showed that il had been struck six
times. Three al the shots were in parts ~ tho
body ordinarily considered vital, and would
doubtless layr caused death; but the vitality of
these animals Is almost incredible. Instances
having been cited OF their running over 100
yards after being shot through the heart.
One Of the hest places in Alaska 10 find tho
brown hear Is in the vicinity Uf Portage hay. ten
or twelve miles across Cnga strait from Sand
Point. Last summer while was at sand Point
two hunters came in after an absence Of little
over = month IN The vicinity OF Portage Ray and
1902 A'A'H At'AN Nt''N W. N'Nl'
day they Killed seven. In order 20 show that
they we're not. spinning hunters yarns they
brought the skins with them and sold them at
the trading point at sand Point.
In dealing with the Alaskan brown bear a
hunter should never go alone. 4 companion il
almost ~ essential as n gun. IL possible IA man
well acquainted with the peculiar habits of this
animal should Ice engaged Ia aCt rs guide. Gnnd
bear dogs would he ~ great assistance, hut
would have Ia he brought INFO the country hy
the hunter, rs there are very few dogs here.
There are no trees as far west as Portage HAY,
and the hunter must he exceedingly careful
how he enters the heavy thiCKrts which cover
the river bottoms, as the bears favor this Kind
or ground, and II aroused or wounded will un-
attack,
During Tho summer Of 1891 two prnsnectOrs
were looking for coal lands near Port Muller,
and about n mile from the shore they came
uIln an immense brown beRr engaged in catch
ing salmon from a small stream. One Of the
prOspectOrs Immediately Opened fire and evil
IDENTIFY wounded the brute lady. but il got out
Of sight in the thick brush. Being anxious Ia
the skin the two men started Ia follow
the wounded animal. They had not gone a
dozen steps before the cnrugsd and Wounded
brute turned on them. and before either one
could fire "A shot seized one man by the tx and
bit IL nearly on, and then spTdug on his COM
panion and Knocked him senseleSs with "A blow
OF his terrible paw. Having, a. he Thought,
his enemies, the bear quietly umhlsd
DH, and was subsequently, found dead Z few
hundred yards from the scene of battle.