Douglas Island news., 1900-11-07
A BEAR HUNT.
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM OUR KILLS
 NOO CORRESF ONDENT.

NOO CORRESE- -)NDENT.
 This is the last day of October. It is a beautiful, sunny day; cool, of course, if not cold. Winter will soon be on us, and many predict very cold one; much colder than last winter was. We had a very pleasant one here; only one week land that was in March) of severe cold weather 1t was the first winter l had been in Alaska, and l was happily disappointed in finding the weather so pleasant.
 The boats still go out each day for fish and return we'll filled. The fac tory runs night and day, turning out great quantities of oil and guano. There was a slight accident to the Dolphin the other day which would have proven more serious if it had not been for the prompt action of the men. 1t was blown on the rocks, on Crow Island; the same place large fishing schooner from Seattle was wrecked last winter TheeisIaDd Is about half mile from the vest part of the village of Kills moo. Mr. Brightman, the manager of the csl factory, saw their dilemma and immediately sent a lot of empty barrels to be put under the boat, and at high tide she floated off without having re- ceiyed much damage But they light ened her first by throwing about eight hundred barrels of fish overheard. The fish were not in barrels, and there was a lively time around there all day among the Indians, with their canoes, gather ing up the fish as they foated on the water. l will explain little here, as you may think this is fish story. The Dolphin had been to the fishing ground after the days catch by their men and the Indians who stay there and fish all the time. The fish were dead, of course, or they would not have hoated. The Indians boiled them and made oil. If you had been there during the three days boiling, you would never want to eat boiled fish again. The OdOr that comes from them is very volatile and not as agreeable to the smell as viOlets or altar of roses. After the Dolphin was gotten off the rocks she was found not badly damaged, as she went out again next day. This reef was well known to the captain, but the wind was very high and the water very rough, and in some way the boat was thrown up on these rocks. Sometimes the waters of Chatham Straits are very rough and wild. Canoes or small boats can't live long in her waters. There have been many narrow escapes from drowning by both white men and natives in the past few years.
 The next event that broke the quiet ness of the village was an adventure by two of the men of the crew of the fish ing boat Fayorite. Their fishing grounds are around in the lagoon back of our village, Angoon. There are several shacks on the beach, occupied bv Indians who live there during the herring season, and fish for the compa- nv. They have a large barge, which the Favorite tOws around there, and each day it is filled with fish. A few days after the Dolphin's mishap, the Favor ite went around after the barge of fish, It was not ready for them, so two of the crew thought they would go into the woods near there and hunt bear. There are quite a number in these woods at this time of the year. They had good success in finding nice large one, but it also found them. They shot and wounded it, and their ammunition gave out, so they both took to their heels and ran for the water They reached 1t a little ahead of the bear, but had not time to get into their canoe, so plunged into the water and swan for life. They reached the FRvorite a little ahead of the bear, and scrambled into it. One of the crew had a gun and shot the bear, but not until he had succeeded in chewing the keel of the boat and dana ping it considerable. The men say they don't want another bath in the lagoon before next summer, at least; and they will be willing to wait on the beach op- posite the woods where bear live till the barge is ready to be lowed home. They had a good laugh at the boys expense at Killisnoo, and Mir. Brightman thought he would see what he could dc in the way of hunting bear. He started across to the woods, was gone about half day and came back with three fine bear skins. He did not bring the bear, as they were too heavy to carry through the woods to the canoe. But he had the hides of them to show, all right. He considers himself champion of the Killisno hunting grounds, so far
 If any of the sportsmen who read the Douglas Island News want sport in the way of hunting, come to Killisnoo, and don't think you will have any trouble in getting guide to direct you to the hunting grounds.
 MRs CHAS. VANHUEBNER.
 KilliSnoO, Oct. 3l, 1900.