New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-31
The bears spend

| easy Vctin 10 the poisoned arrow; often they
are smoked out. When Bruin is first shot, being
fuii or pain, he is savage aid furiously attacks
his enemy. Being now at close quarters the
Ainu discards his bow and arrow and prepares
TO make final onslaught upon the creature
Inc wounded and enraged east rises upright On
MS haunches. ready to pounce upon his assail-
ant Inc Alnu hunter watches his chance to
make the fatal thrust. At the right time he
rushes point blank into the animals embrace
and plunges his knife into his body, but does not
always escape without a reminder of his en-
| counter. He is to get severely scratched,
| frequently scalped. and sometimes killed. The
Anus prize young bear cub their greatest
trophy of the hunt, and will risk their lives to
obtain one and if captured it is brought home
In great state of triumph, and the success Is
duly celebrated by feast of merrymaking. The
| young cub is kindly treated. gets food and fish,
and is made prisoner in a special cage of logs
He is henceforth treated with great affection.
| and for year more is the star boarder" OF
| the family, and shares in all of the luxuries Of
| food possessed by his master
This tender treatment OF the young cub for a
year is due to the preparation for the most TN
| portant ceremony of the year, which is the
| great bear feast, usually held in September and
October. The bear is universally worshippea
and is looked upon of the most honorable
representatives of their sacred gods. He -
| capable of doing much harm and injury by raid
Ing their storehouses entering their huts and in
| ficting painful injuries to the inmates and kill
| ing household pets. On the other hand he il a
most valuable and useful creature, furnishing
| both food and clothing. All these qualities so TO
place him high in their estimation; consequently,
he is propitiated by great sacrifcial feast 1t
is held a high privilege to give bear festival.
which is also expensive in it's way. owing TO the
large of sake the host is required to
For this festive occasion the giver, for several
weeks ahead, sends out invitations to his reia-
tives and distant guests. Being the gala social
| event for the whole season. the favored ones
come arrayed in their best ornamented clothes.
| with their faces and hands thoroughly washed,
for the first time. probably. In the year. The
women appear with a new coat Of tattoo over
their lips and mouths as an extra touch to their
toilets and the men in their gaudily decked
listers After a general greeting and mutual
salutations have been exchanged the assembly
visits the cage OF the bear for general inspec-
ton OF the poor fellow. The party then adj
journs to the interior OF the house. where the
drinking of sake and speechmakng are gone
through with. Offerings made to the house
god Of fire by dipping the mustache sticks into
sake and then throwing several drops into the
fireplace The women OF the household, who have
raised the bear, keep In the rear. and pretend to
be deeply moved and affected by his forthcoming
execution a man Is then delegated as a
spokesman to so to the bear and advise him or
his approaching doom. He sits down before the
cage and tells Bruln that he is about to be sent
TO his forefathers and Graves pardon for what
he and his fellows are about to do. hoping that
he won't be angry and comforting him by say
ing that n great many "inaos' and plenty OF
wine and rice cakes will be sent along with him
on his journey to the bear hades-
He is then taken out OF his cage by moose
around his neck and is led around for some
time in order that he may enjoy last touch Of
freedom After this he is made target of ~
the men, who proceed to tire and worry him by
shooting blunt-headed wooden arrows at him
When he is thoroughly exhausted he Is seized
| by the legs and thrown down. when long
stick of wood is thrust into his mouth. on which
he grips tightly with his teeth. After he is rem
dered helpless, two long poles are used to end his
torture One is placed under his throat and the
other upon the naPe of his neck. and he Is
gradually chOked to death. His body is thcn
spread before the Sacred Hedge. reserved as n
place OF worship, containing many inao'
sticks adorned with the skulls OF bears who
have been killed in former sacrifices, when
lamentations dances and drink offerings are
held. Food and drink also placed before the
body The women join in drinking and dance in
a hilarious fashion. Soon the effects of the sake
are shown upon the men, who usually fall upon n
mat and remain In a stupor for many hours
On the following day the bear is cut up and Ger
| y,frcf he