The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-12-14
FATE OF A RUSSIAN COLONY
Every Man Left on Halls Island. In lie.
ring Sea, Eaten by the Bears.

~'e'1 WAN Lett on Halls Island, In BE
ring Sea, Eaten by the Bears.
from the quarter deck of the Unit
ed states revenue steamer CorWin
lying Off Halls island, at the north
erly end of st. Matthew's island. il
Berlng sea, the captain and severa.
officers We're looking toward the
shore. Douglass, the pilot, had Just
pointed out something under tbe
cliffs that looked like low, half fallen
walls, and said they we're ruined
barrabaraS. The barrabara is the
Aleutian house, built half under.
ground. Some of the gentlemen wish.
ed to explore the interior of the is
land in hopes of finding signs of val
liable minerals.
MIR, Douglass, how about going
inland here?" inquired tho captain.
We'll, Idon'tknow, sir, said the
pilot. II wouldn't care much TO 90
at this time of year unless the party
was large and well armed ANY n
can sec from here what a f~orbidding
country it is, and it's sure to get
worse when you reach it. It's chock
full Of bears, and RI the breeding sea
son they re mighty ugly"
How does it happen that there
are SO many polar bears on st Mat
thew's and Halls islands," asked
the captain. This must be about
Che southern limit of their range
'Nc)l, suppose, sir, they come
down from the arctic on the field ice.
following the seal and the walrus
The winter pack reaches way south
OF here, and the bears make homes
on tho island among the rocks and
caves. They breed here, and as more
como every year from the north
they naturally get plenty. So long
as they find enough to eat they won't
trouble anybody unless cornered, and
once food gets scarce they'll attack
anything. One look at what's left of
those barrabaras mas always been
enough exploration tor me in these
parts.
There's a sad story about those
old houses, sir, continued the pilot
good many years ago the Rus
slams thought they'd form a settle,
ment here. So they sent a ship with
| don't know just how many pcopls
30 make a start. No doubt the set
Tiers We're a hard lot-convicts Of
me sort or another-the Russians
often made such use of their hard
citizens. But that's neither here nor
there. They e L human beings and
we're put on shore right here, and
hey built or dug, whichever yor
ike to say, those barrabaras. Pro.
for a year We're given them
they were told to skirmish round
md G what they could do in the
lunting line. Then the ship sailed
way, promising to call round next
year and see how they were getting
And SO she did, but the settlers
we're not doing anything that the
Visitors could see. They hoisted nc
1gnal and made no sign of life al
vi, and when a party from the shin
andcd a grewsome sight it was thcv
aw. The tops were ripped off the
'arrabaras, and everything was
:nocked about. Not a living thing
ould they find. Some moldy pro.
isions were left, and, worst of all
ONE human bones, not whole skcle.
ons lying as though the people had
cen starved or had died of disease,
ut just human bones spread about
he floors, and some of 'em outside
n the ground.
Not a bit of writing was found.
'othing at all to say how or when
he trouble came. Water was plenty,
nd provisions, too, and only the {
ears could account for the wipine
ut of the little colony. They must {
ave c%orralled the settlers in the
cad of winter, when the pack ice is
IL around the island, and hunger !
lakes EN- fierce, and then they must {
ave torn off the roofs of the huts !
nj made short work of the people.
he ship sailed away, and the Rms l
ans never tried to colonize the is. {
md again, New York Sun.