The sun., 1904-12-04

NORCROSS. Me-, Dec, 5. W Nnen Iopoit I
came down from Millinockett Lake nearly
a week ago that Siverskiu. supposedly
mythical bear said to have dwelt near
Twin Lakes for quarter of century, had
come to his end al the hands of Ben York,
the oldest registered guide in the Maine
woods, the information was thought TO be
too good to be true But Bens return with
the two hunters he was guiding has brought
full assurance that the bear is no more.
/ The stories that have been told about
Silverskin would fill book He il said
to have been living in 1852, when Henry ID,
Thpreau went up the West Branch and paid
Il visit TO Mount Katahdin, al which time
the bear followed the party to their camp
ing place on Abol stream and robbed the
party of all the food it had. while all hands
were exploring the mountain, Since then.
every hunter OF note who has visited the
Maine woods has spent more or less time in
trying TO take it out Of old Silverskin.'
in 1881 Theodore Roosevelt Of New York
then a young man not long out from Har-
ward. spent a week in company with Bill
Sewall looking for the most famous bear in
Maine. Though the future President
hunted in all the haunts where the bear
was said to be nothing came from the
search
During the autumn Of 1888 Senator Quay
Of Pennsylvania passed a week in the camp
Of John Soul. on the shores Of Millinockett
Lake. spending all the hours of daylight
vainly looking for Siverskin.
Two years later DR.. Thomas of Bangor,
who owns a camp near the lake was out
hunting for moose when his guide padded
h., Ia ha lnt a
came upon Silverskin swimming in a quiet
cove. The bear was fifty rods from shore.
but as soon as the guide learned that the
animal was Silverskin he refused to touch
q hand TO the paddle, saying the animal
was enchanted and could not he killed; 40
the doctor saw his game reach the land
and disappear in the bushes before he
could get telling shot.
During the construction Of Che new line
of railroad across the West Branch in the
summers Of isa3-ai the Italians who shovelled
dirt used to post sentinels every night for
fear Silverskin would come while they slept
and carry one of their members away to
he eaten at leisure. This was the time
that Luther Gerrish lost eighteen sheep
! from an island in North Twin Lake, every
one having been taken by Silverskin.
! In the fall Of 1896 two Boston hunters
killed moose in the woods north Of Mill.
camp to get a horse for drawing out the car.
cass the bear came and mutilated the dead
moose so badly that only the head and
| antlers. were worth carrying away.
| In the summer of 1902. while Grover
Cleveland was camping with some friends
out and shoot Silverskin. but furious rain
| came on and prevented the party from
| going out. Other well known men who
! have sought to kill Silverskin at different
| W. H. II. Murray, Hannibal Hamlin, De
Grasse Fox and Senator Spooner.
The end of this animal, which seemed
past the power Of man to kill. ia thus de.
scribed by Ben York
Our leanto was in clump, Of frs two
miles north of the lake. The day was cold
with furTiee of snow driving before a north
east wind. The men who employed me
| had gone out to track deer on the snow,
leaving me TO fix up about camp. Among
! the camp stores was a side OF smoked bacon
which had begun 10 show signs OF mould
along the edges. To keep this meat from
/ spelling rugged slim stick in the ground
so the top would hang above the fire. and
tied the bacon to the end, 40 the new smoke
would freshen it up.
The fire was rather warm, and as the
| fat fell into the blaze and burned it gave
! out a most agreeable odor, which was the
means Of bringing the bear to our vicinity
As we would have to spend another night
| in the place, and as the bed was thin in
places took my axe and went to the thicket
| to get fresh boughs. taking pains before
lea wing to put a pail Of water near the
| fire for putting out the blaze on the bacon
, in case IL got too hot while ] was away.
| The pail, it should be noted here. was OF
| indurated pulp. a woody sort Of celluloid
that is light and handy to carry on long
tramps.
Perhaps had been away from the camp
for ten minutes when heard ali explosion
which shook the bushes and scat tered ashes
all about me. Running back to camp
was in time to see Silverskin hobbling away
as II he had been hurt badly. He left a
trail Of blood as wide as IL a stuck pig had
been dragged across the snow, and his hind
parts seemed to be paralyzed,
Il knew what had happened at once.
In reaching for the simmering bacon the
bear had overturned The pail into the fire.
and then the celluloid had gone on like
gunpowder,
Taking up my rife, went along the
trail. overtaking Silverskin in the next
clearing, As soon as he heard me coming
he turned about and stood upon his hind
legs. making ready for a charge.
He was the worst cut up creature ever
saw living. The explosion had ripped
big hole In him clear across his chest