The Red Cloud chief., 1897-01-08

a vessel. Then when the Beivedere
was sent to the Pacific to hunt in the
more prolific seas north of the Alaskan
coast Whiteside was chosen as the most
capable man to command her of all the
New Bedford shippers. When he ar
rived from one successful cruise be-
yond the Boring straits and when the
vessel came into port a letter was sent
east to the schoolmate of former years
telling Of the lonesomeness of the polar
seas and asking the receiver IL she
would not change from schoolmate to
chief mate OF the B~elvedere. There
was a quiet wedding in the quaint little
church OF the Atlantic whaling settle
ment and when Capt. Whiteside and
his life mate came west the rice that
was shOwered on them in the east was
shaken out OF the folds Of the brides
dress on the Belvedere's deck as the
vessel steamed through the Golden
Gate and pointed her bows toward the
north. The whaler reached the Arctic
just as the winter ice was breaking
up. and for three months of the sum-
mer she cruised, hut with very little
success. Then came a winter of nearly
nine months. when the vessel was
frozen In the ice with a dozen others
the whaling fleet at Herschel
island. AS soon as the ice broke she
moving again, and before she |
turned her bow for home enough
whales had been taken to pay a neat
lay" to her officers and crew.
1T was a delightful trip" said Mrs.
Whiteside, recounting her adventures
n the coy cabin of the whaler. There
vas plenty or excitement and there
we're no moments Of idleness. My hus-
'and and some OF the officers of the ves-
'ei mad their rifles with them and moth
ng would do but / must learn to
moot. We had shooting matches fire.
luently while In winter quarters, and
'efore the ice broke up I knew as much
bout a rife as any Of them and could
boot almost as well.
Il have the trophies Of my skill as
markswoman and a hunter that Sci
fall to the lot of a woman. There
two large polar bear skins and nv
Is now having them prepared
8 rugs. We had only been out on the ,
ruise after whales last summer a few .
avs and the vessel was slowly steam A.,
IL along a great Ice foe, when he F,
'okout sang out that there were three ,
rye bears on the Ice. They had risen !
'om behind a hummock only n few >
ards from the ship and were looking :,
wonder at the vessel. when Mr. :,
'hiteside came running down into the .
bin for me to get my rifle, az there -"
as big game for me.
II followed him to the deck a. ouicI.
as ! could, and. taking aim at tho I
rgest one OF the three, sent a bullet +
at rolled him over dead. A second s.
ot from a position on the ice killed q
lother OF the three. and so elated was q
over my success as a rifle shot that II
could not hold the gun steady for the fe
ird shot and the last of the three m
airs was only wounded. He fell be- s;
the lump Of ice out of sight Of SC
Q vesse, and protected from any fur b,
err bullets from my rifle from where OF
! wanted to go on the ice 81
.er him. but my husband would NOT m
me. saying that the bear would eat DC
up, and that he was the only bear br
% would claim that privilege. Some A
the mates went after that third bear
q finally brought II to the vessel
n the bodies OF the two I had killed or
luck In killing these two bears th