The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-31
ALASKA's ABLE BEARS.
Worthy Cousins of the Grizzly and
More FerOciOus Than He Now Is.

More Ferocious Than He Now Is.
The northern side of the Kenai penin-
sula, bordering the shores Of Cooks IN
let, Kodiak island. and the Alaskan pen
insula, as far westward as Unimak is
land, is the habitat of the Alaskan
brown bear Cursus RichardsoniD, huge,
shaggy animal, varying in length from
six to twelve feet, and weighing from 800
to 1,500 pounds. This bear possesses AL
the courage and fierceness Of his south
ern cousin. the grizzly, and he has been
hunted so little as yet that he IS abso-
lutely fearless of man, and is an ex-
ceedingly dangerous adversary. The is
land of Kodiak, being more settled than
the other localities mentioned, is less
favorable as a hunting ground for the
sportsman than the wilder regions adj
jacent This is especially true Of the
eastern and wooded end of the island.
On the west the country is more open,
and on that account seems to be pre-
ferred by the bear. There is stin good
sport 10 be had in certain localities here
about and native guides can always be
obtained at the villages situated on the
shores of the bays or on the banks or
the salmon streams in this vicinity.
Being an expert fisher. the bear fire.
Quents, during the salmon season, all
the rivers emptying into Bering sea and
the North Pacific and their tributaries as
far as the fish 60 After the salmon run
is over the animal retreats into the re-
cesses of the hills, where berries and
small game are plentiful.
The brown bear is the great roadmaker
Of this part of Alaska. Not only are the
banks of the streams trodden into good
trails by the huge numbering orutes, but
the swampy pains are crossed in every
direction by paths leading to The bills.
The traveller will do well 10 follow them in
his jOurneying across the country, as they
invariably lead to the best fording places
Of streams and form the easiest routes
TO the hills. The northern limit Of the
brown bears habitat is, as yet. undeter-
mined. but l have seen them 10 the in
terror as far as latitude 81 deg, and hey
probably range still further.
My first encounter with one of these
animals was a starting experience for me,
and L have always thought equally so for
the bear. We had been working UP
against the strong current of the Koowak
river all day, and toward nightfall pitched
our tent at the base of high bluff form
ing the right bank Of the stream While
supper was being prepared 1 climbed the
bluff to get look at the country, end
was walking leisurely along with my gun
carelessly held in my left hand. The
top of the bluff was densely covered al
| most TO the edge with spruce and alders,
and the undergrO WITH was so thick that Ii
was impossible to see more than a few
feet through ii. Ahead of me a cluster
Of rocks offered a temporary place 10 sit
down and enjoy the view, and | made For
ii.
Just as l reached the nearest rock a
tremendous shaggy animal arose ap-
parently from under my feet, and 1 inn
mediately recognized in him the brown
bear, of whose fierceness the natives had
been telling me for weeks. My first in
stinct was to shoot and probably would
have done had my gun been in my
right hand but the first motion | made
the bear reared on his launches and was
so formidable-Iooking that 1 concluded to
wait and see what he intended doing.
After a moments hesitation, during
which he turned his head from side TO
side and licked his chops in most sug-
gestive fashion, he dropped on all tours,
and with wonderful quickness turned
and sprang out of sight in the dense
underground.
When | returned to camp and related
my experience Ts h-tah-rok, my native
guide, assured me that the bear must
have recently concluded a heavy meal,
as otherwise he would have most Ger
tainly alta 1ked me.
The mainland of Alaska adjacent 10
the island of Unga is full of brown bear.
and. although somewhat smaller than
those found on the west side Of Cooks
inlet. they are sufficiently fierce and
aggressive. Some officers from one of
the vessels OF the Boring sea fleet went
ashore at Herendeen bav during the
summer of 1891 on a deer hunt, and one
Of the party saw bear about 100 yards
distant ting berries. Without a thought
of the consequences he raised his gun
and fired at the animal. The shot went
wide Of the mark. but at the report of
the gun the bear started for the hunter
on a dead run. His charge was met by
shower of bullets from the officers re-
peater. but although badly wounded the
infuTiated brute did not hesitate an in
slant but rushed straight at his enemy
When within about ten feet of the hum
ter the bear rose on his launches and
prepared to close. Blood pouring in
streams down his body. One bullet had
shattered his upper jaw. but he was til
so full OF fight that the outcome of the
struggle would have been extremely
doubtful had not another of the party
arrived and ended the fight by shooting
the brute through the brain. An ex-
animation Of the bears body showed
that il had been struck six times. Three
Of the shots were in parts of the body
ordinarily considered vital and would
doubtless have caused death: but the
vitality Of these animals is almost in
credible. instances having been cited of
their running over 100 yards after being
shot through the heart
One of the best places in Alaska TO
find the brown bear Is in the vicinity OF
Portage bay, ten or Twelve miles across
Unga strait from Sand Point Last sum
mer while i was at Sand Point two
hunters came in after an absence OF lit
tie over a month IN the vicinity of Port
age bay and reported having killed
thirty-three bears One day they killed
seven. In order 10 show that they were
not spinning hunters yarns they brought
the skins with them and sod them at
the trading point at Sand Point
IL dealing with the Alaskan brown
bear hunter should never go alone. A
companion Is as almost essentla. as a
gun. II possible a man well acquainted
with the peculiar habits of this animal
shoa.d be engaged to act as guide.
Good bear dogs would be Of great assist
ance. hut would have to be brought into
the country by the hunter. as there are
very few dogs here. There are no trees
as far west as Portage bay, and the
hunter must be exceedingly careful how
he enters the heavy thlckets which cover
the river bottoms. as the bears favor this
kind OF ground, and IL aroused or wound
ed viii unhesitatingly attack
During the summer OF 1891 two pros
pectors were looking for coal lands near
Port Mollsr, end about mile from the
shore they came upon an immense brown
bear engag ed IN catching salmon from a
small stream. One OF the prospectcrs
Immediately opened fire and evidently
wounded the brute hardly But IL got