The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-11-13
BEARS IN ALASKA.
MORE FERocIouS THAN THEIR GRlz-
Ely COUSINS NOW ARE.

The Brown Bear OF Alaska Weighs From
500 to 1880 Pounds-Hs L. an Expert
Fisher and . Good observation-disclosures
Of Thrilling Encounters.
| The northern side of the Kenai PENN
| sula, bordering the shores OF Cooks inlet,
| Kodiak Island, and the Alaskan peninsula
rs far westward as Unimak island, is the
| habitat Of tho Alaskan brown bear (Ursus
| riohardsoniD, huge, shaggy animal,
| varying in length from to 10 feet and
weighing from 800 to 1, 500 pounds. This
bear possesses all the courage and fierce
ness Of his southern cousin, the grizzly,
and he has been hunted so little as yet
| that he is absolutely fearless Of man and
is an exceedingly dangerous adversary.
Being an expert fisher, the bear fire.
quents, during the salmon season. all the
rivers emptying into Boring seq and the
north Pacific and their tributaries as far
as the fish go. After the salmon run is
over tho animal retreats into the recesses
OF the bills, where berries and small gamo
arc 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 brutes, but
the swampy plains are crossed In every di-
rection by paths leading to the hills The
traveller will do well to follow them in
journeying across the country, as they in
variably lead to tho best fording places Of
streams and form the easiest routes to the
hills. The northern limit of the brown
bears habitat is as yet undetermined,
but have seen them In the interior us far
as latitude 81 degrees, and they probably
range still farther.
My first encounter with one of these an
tmals was startling experience Cor me,
and, have always thought equally so for
the bear. chad been working up against
the strong current of the Koowak river all
day, and toward nightfall pitched our tent
pit the base of IA high bluff forming the
right bank of the stream. While supper
was being prepared climbed tho bluff to
get look at tho country and was walk
Ing leisurely along with my gun carelessly
held In my left hand.
The top of the bluff was densely covered
almost to the edge with spruce and alders,
and the underground was so thick that it
was impossible to see more than few feet
through 1t. Ahead of me q cluster of rocks
offered temporary place to sit down and
enjoy tie view, and made for 1t.
just as l reached the nearest rock ire
inendous shaggy animal arose apparently
from under my feet, and / Immediately
recognized in him the brown Nbear, OF
whose flerceness the natives had been tell
ing me for weeks. My first instinct was
70 shoot, and probably would have done
10 had my gun been in my right hand, but
The first motion made the bear reared ON
his haunches and was so formidable look
ing that 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 suggestive fashion, he dropped
On all fours, and with wonderful quick
hess turned and sprang out of sight in the
dcnse underground.
When l returned to camp and related
my experience, Tah-tah-rok, my native
guide, assured me that the bear must have
recently concluded heavy meal as other
wise he would have attacked me.
The mainland of Alaska adjacent to the
island of Unga is full of brown bear, and,
although somewhat smaller than those
found on the west side of Cook inlet,
they are sufficiently fierce and aggressive
Some officers from one of the vessels of
the Boring sea fleet went ashore at Heren-
deem bay during the summer of 1891 on
deer hunt, and one of the party saw a bear
shout 100 yards distant eating berries
Without a thought Of the consequences
fo 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 dead run. His charge
was met by shower Of bullots from the
dthcer's repeater, but although badly
Wounded the Infatuated brute did not hesi-
thte an instant, but rushed straight at his
enemy. When within about 10 feet of the
Hunter, the bear rose on his launches and
prepared to close. Blood was pouring in
streams down his body. Ono bullet had
shattered his upper jaw, but he was still
sp full of fight that the outcome of tho
struggle would have been extremely doubt.
fhl had not another of tho party arrived
and ended the fight by shooting the brute
through the brain
An examination of the bears body
showed that it 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 vi
thlity of these animals is almost incred-
ible, instances having been cited of their
running over 100 yards after being shot
through the heart
One of tho best places in Alaska to find
the brown bear is in the vicinity of Port
age bayi 10 or 1a miles across Unga strait
from sand point. Last summer, while l
Was at Sand point, two hunters came In
after an absence of little over a month in
the vicinity of Portage bay and reported
having killed 80 bears. Ono day they
Killed seven. In order to show that they
were not spinning hunters yarns, they
Drought the skins with them and sold
them at the trading point at Sand point.
In dealing with the Alaska brown bear
a hunter should never go alone. COM
pAnion is almost as essential as gun. If
ppssible, man we'll acquainted with tho
peculiar habits of this animal should be
engaged to act as guide. Good bear dogs
would be of great assistance, but would
have to be brought into the country by
tie hunter, as there are very few dogs
mere There are no trees as far west as
Portage bay, and the hunter must be ex-
ceedingly careful how he enters tho heavy
Tickets which cover the river bottoms,
as the bears favor this kind of ground,
and If aroused or wounded will unhesitat-
iIIgly attack.
During the summer of 1891 two pros
pdctors were looking for coal lands near
Pprt Molier, and about a mile from the
siNore they came upon an immense brown
Dear engaged in catching salmon from
small stream. One of the prospectors i'm
opened fire and evidently wound
ed the brute badly. But it got out of sight
In the thick brush Being anxious to Sc
cure the skin, the two men started to fol.
low the wounded animal. They had not
gdne dozen steps before tho enraged and
wPunded brute turned on them, and be-
fore either one could fire shot seized one
man by the leg and bit 1t nearly off and |
then sprang on his companion and knocked
him senseless with blow of his terrible