The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-06-12
ALASKA'S BIG BEARS.
GOOD FISHERMEN, ROADMAkERS AND
FIERCE FIGHTERS.

What Hunters Who Have Met the Grizzly
Have to Say of His Alaska Cousln-They
Do Not Fear Man and VIII Fight While
MortalIy Wounded.
A traveller who recently returned from
Alaska says: "The Alaskan brown bear
is huge, shaggy animal, varying in
length from to ~ 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
employing into the Boring sea and the
north Pacific and their tributaries as far
as the fish go. After the salmon run is
over the animal retreats into tho recesses
of the hills, where berries and small
game are plentiful Among other things
he does besides fishing and occasionally
chewing up hunter, he is great road
maker for this part of Alaska. Nor only
good trails by these huge numbering
beasts, but the swampy plains are cross
ed in every direction by paths leading to
the hills. Tho traveller will do we'll to
follow them in journeying across the
country, as they invariably lead to the
best feeding places along the stream and
form the best routes to 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 o startling
experience for mo, and have always
thought equally SO for tho bear. We had
been working up against n strong cur
rent of tho Koowak river all day, and
toward nightfall pitched our tent at tho
base of high bluff forming tho right
bank Of the stream. While supper was
being prepared I climbed tho bluff to
get look at the country and was walk
ing along with my gun carelessly held
in my left hand. The top Of the bluff
was densely covered almost to tho edge
with spruce and alders, and the under
growth was so thick that it was impos-
siblo to sec moro than n few feet through
it. Ahead of mo cluster of rocks offer
ed temporary place to sit down and
enjoy tho view, and made for it. just
as l reached tho nearest rock tremon
dous shaggy animal arose apparently
from under my feet, and Immediately
recognized in him tho brown bear Of
whose flerceness tho natives had been
telling me for weeks. My first instinct
was to shoot, and probably would have
done so had my gun boon in my right
hand, but the first motion made tho
bear reared ON his launches and was SO
formidable looking that concluded to
wait and SEQ what no intended doing
After o moments hesitation, during
which no turned his head from side to
side and licked his chops in u most sug-
gestive fashion, he dropped on all fours,
and with wonderful quiel1ness turned
and sprang out of sight In the dense
underground When / returned to camp
and related my experience, Tah-tah rok,
my native guide, assured me that the
bear must recently have concluded a
heavy meal, or otherwise no would have
attacked mo.
"Some officers from some of tho YES
sells of tho Boring sea fleet won't ashore
at Herendoen bay during tho summer of
1901 ON a deer hunt, and ono of tho
party saw bear about 100 yards distant
eating berries Without thought Of the
consequences, he raised his gun and fired
at the animal.
"The shot went wide of the mark, but
at tho report Of the gun the bear started
for the hunter on dead run. His charge
was mot with shower Of bullets from
tho officers repeater; but although bad
ly wounded, tho 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 to
close Blood was pouring In streams
down his body. Ono bullet had shattered
his upper jaw, but no was SO full of fight
that tho final outcome Of tho struggle
would have been extremely doubtful had
not another OF tho party arrived and
ended the fight by shooting the brute
through tho brain. An examination of
tho bears body showed that he had been
struck six times. Three Of the shots
were in 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, whilo was at Sand
Point, two hunters came in, after an alb.
sence of over a month in tho vicinity Of
Portage bay, and reported having killed
80 bears. Ono day they killed seven. In
order to show that they were not spin
ming hunters yarns they brought tht
skins with them, and sold thom at n
trading post at Sand Point During the
summer of 1901 two prospectors were
looking for coal lands near Port Moller,
and about mile from tho shore they
came upon an immense brown bear en-
gagged in catching salmon in small
stream. One Of the prospectors immedt-
ately opened fro, and evidently wound
ed tho brute badly, but he got out OF
sight in tho thick brush. Being anxious
to secure the skin tho two men started
TO follow tho wounded animal. They
had not Como dozen steps before tho
enraBed ana Wouhueu prueo Uuuhou vi
thom, and before either one could fire a
shot no seized one man by tho leg and
bit it nearly off, and then sprang upon
his companion and knocked him sense
less with tho blow Of his terrible paw.
Having, rs he thought. finished his enc
mics, tho bear quietly ambled OFF, and
was subsequently found dead few hun
dred Yards from the scene OF battle. "
with Tears In Her Eyes.
She was thrown on tho world
"Merciful heavonl' she gasped.
Considerable turf was knocked off the