The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-12-06
A POLAR BEAR HUNT
Adventure In the Frozen Wastes
of the Arctic.
RACE TO SAVE A MANS LIFE

A Mile Run For a Rifle That at First
Refused to Do Its Work-A shot
That Brought the Great Brute to the
Camp as Food For Men and Dogs.
The long arctic night was breaking.
Like alternating polar bears, we had
lived the winter through under cover
of q great drift of snow. This served
as a thick blanket for our little hut
and helped to keep warm the thirty
nine shipwrecked men who had been
marooned on the desert island Of Ru-
dolph. in the frozen wastes of the polar
sea.
One day, after a furry Of storm. ]
took a walk to Cape Saulen. On my
way back to camp l stopped OH the
highest rocks of the moraine to look
out toward the ice covered sea. North
ward and westward great black steam
ing streaks in the white revealed the
open water. and overhead hung dark
clouds of vapor, another indication OF
a lead" or open water, underneath.
Turning my eyes southwark toward
Teplitz bay, l beheld the panorama Of
the camp spread out before me, the
hut and stable tent, the two little OBJ
servatories and the numerous caches
of food stores giving the appearance Of
an arctic village. Down in the tide
crack where the ice of the bay met the
fast frozen land sheet l could distin-
guish the silhouette of one Of my men
taking a tide observation. Behind him
rose a bristling ridge of ice %pinnacles,
which effectually blocked his view to-
ward the sea.
From my greater elevation l made
out the form of a great polar bear
crossing the rough ice toward the land.
AS l watched he reached a high cake
Of ice and, climbing upon it, raised
himself up on his hind quarters and
looked oyer toward the spot where Mr..
Long, the observer, was at work. Then
I realized his object. There was no
one else in sight, and Long was I'M
armed. Could l reach camp. seize a
rifle and make my way out on the bay
before the bear began his attack?
In the cold, crisp air I ran the mile
VI 81 IONdlu ~ AuI u AoNS lLAA ASI
tunately was down grade. I rushed
into the house, secured my rifle and set
off as fast as my legs would carry me
toward where 1 had last seen the bear.
Usually the dogs at camp thought it
great sport to join in such a chase, but
this time they crouched around the
hut, whining and whimpering and re-
fusing to follow as. 1 ran past them
with my rifle. I oon came up to Long
and, warning him to look out for the
approaching bear. of which he was
still all unconscious. proceeded at re-
duced speed. as the ice was now very
rough. in the direction of the advanc-
ing beast. AS l was crossing the top
Of the first pressure ridge | saw the
bear coming my way. He caught sight
of me at the same moment. raised him
self on his launches to get a better
view, and then started in a lope over
the ice cakes in my direction.
I raised my carbine. took a quick
sight and pulled the trigger. Instead
Of the usual quick snap and explosion
I felt the slow, gummy motion of the
bolt that told me hat the lock was
frozen. In cleaning the gun a few days
before l must have left some oil in the
lock.
trying to warm up the mechanism by
friction, the great bear climbing rapid
~ and surely over the broken ice cakes
toward ME all the while. Once more |
pulled the trigger. The unexpected
happened, and the cartridge exploded.
but in my haste. although SC close. l
made q clear miss.
However, the flash and the report
must have frightened the beast, for he
made off. l climbed in pursuit, but on
account Of the heavy ice did not see
him again until he had placed about
200 yards between us and was still 60
ing with great leaps in the direction
Of the open sea.
I aimed and fred just as he leaped
between two great ridges. This time
he fell in a heap. With the bears fail
the dogs set us such a bowling. bark
ing and yelping as l had seldom heard.
even from that noisy pack. Every dog
in camp now started for the fallen
king.
The bullet had gone through his
back. paralyzing his hind quarters, but
he was able to swing around on the
dat foe and deal fearful blows with
his great fore paws. But the combat
was too unequal. One more bullet and
the great bear was beyond all further
pain.
The men from camp had now ar
rived, and the dogs were caught and
harnessed to a sledge. Upon it we
dashed the carcass Of the bear and
then, cutting a trail back to land.
hauled our load to the hut, a welcome
addition to the larder for men n
dogs.-Anthony Frala in Youths Com
panion.
An Interesting Animal.
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