The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-07-24

Nortnily wounded.
traveller who recently returned from
Alaska says 1.-The Alaskan brown bear
is hugo, shaggy animal, varying in
length from 6 to IL feet and weighing
from 500 TO 1900 pounds found him
to be an expert fisher, and during the
salmon season he frequents all the rivers
emptying into the Bering sea and the
north Pacific and their tributaries as far
as the fish go. After the salmon run is
over the animal retreats into the recesseS
OF the hills, where berries and small
game arc plentiful Among other things
he does besides fishing and occasionally
chewing up II hunter, he is II great road
maker for this part of Alaska Nor only
are the banks of the streams trodden into
good trails by these huge numbering
beasts, but tho swnmpy plains are cross
ed i'll every direction by paths leading to
The hills. The traveller will do we'll TO
follow them in journeying across the
country, us they invariably lead to the
best feeding places along the stream and
form the best routes 10 the hills
a hunter who has spent some time
there recently chasing brown bears
writes several of his experiences to the
Seattle Telegraph
My first encounter, he says, with
one of these brown bears was startling
experience for me. and 1 have always
thought equally so for the bear We had
been working up against Il strong cur
rent of the koowak river all day, and
toward nightfall pitched our tent at the
base Of Il high bluff forming the right
bank of the stream While supper was
being prepared 1 climbed the bluff to
get look at the country and was walk
ing along with my gun carelessly held
i'll my left hand. The top of the bluff
WAS densely covered almost to tho edge
with spruce and alders, and the under
growth was 50 thick that it was impoS-
slble To see moro than II few feet through
ii. Ahead of me cluster of rocks offer
ed temporary place to sit down and
enjoy the view. and I made for it. Just
as reached the nearest rock tremen-
dous shaggy animal arose apparently
from under my feet. and Immediately
recognized i'll him the brown bear Of
whose fierCeness tho natives had been
telling me for weeks My first instinct
was to shoot, and probably would have
done 50 had my gun bccn i'll my right
hand, but the first motion 1 made the
bear reared on his launches and was so
formidable looking that I concluded to
wait and see what he intended doing
After moments hesitation, during
which he turned his head from side to
side and licked his chops III most sug-
gcstive fashion. he dropped on all fours,
and with wonderful quickness turned
and sprang out Of sight in the dense
underground. When returned to camp
and related my experience, Tab tah- rol,
my native guide, assured me that the
bear must recently have concluded
heavy meal, or otherwise he would have
attacked me.
"Some officers from sonc Of the YES
sells of the Bering sea feet went ashore
at Herondeen bay during the summer Of
1891 on IL deer hunt, and one of tho
party saw bear about 100 yards distant
eating berries Without thought Of the
consequences, he raised his gun and fred
at tho animal
Tho shot went wide Of the mark, but
at the report of the gun the bear started
for the hunter on Il dead run. His charge
was met with IL shower Of bullets from
the Officers repeater; but, although bad
ly wounded. the Infatuated animal did
not hesitate an instant and rushed
straight at his enemy. When within
about 10 feet of the hunter, the bear
rose on his launches and prepared 60
close Blood was pouring in streams
down his body. One bullet had shattered
his upper jaw, but he was so full Of fight
that the final outcome of the struggle
would have been extremely doubtful had
not another of tho party arrived and
ended the fight by shooting the brute
through the brain. An examination of
the bear S body showed that he had been
struck six times. Three of the shots
We're III parts Of the body ordinarily con
sidered vital and would doubtless have
caused death. but the vitality Of these
animals is almost incredible Instances
are cited of their running over 100 yards
after being shot through the heart
Last summer, while 1 was at Sand
Point two hunters came in, after an all
sencc of over Il month in tie vicinity CT
Portage bay, and reported having killed
33 bears. One day they killed seven. III
order to show that they were not spin
ming hunters yarns they brought the
skins with them. and sold them at a
trading post at Sand Point. During the
summer Of 1891 two prosrcctors were
looking for coal lands near Port Moller,
and about Il mile from the shore they
cana upon an immense brown bear en-
gagged III catching salmon in IA small
stream. One Of the prospcctors immedi-
ately opened fire, and evidently wound
ed the brute badly hut he got ont Of