Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-10
A POLAR BEAR HUNT
Adventure In the Frozen Wastes
of the Arctic.
RACE TO SAVE A MANS LIFE

a Mile Run For Riflo That at First
Refused to Do It's Work--A Shot
That Brought the Great Brute TO tho
Camp sc Food For Mon and Dogs.
The long arctic night was breaking,
Like ALTERNATING polar bears. we had
lived the winter through under cover
of great drift of SNOW. This served
rs thick blanket for our little hut
and helped TO keep warm the thirty.
nine shipwrccked men who had been
marooncd on tho desert island of Ru.
dolph In the frozen wastes OF the polar
sea.
Ono day, after furry of storm, l
took walk to Cape Saulen. On my
way back 10 camp l stopped on tho
highest rocks OF the morainc to look
out toward the Ice covered sen. North.
ward and westward great black steam
ing streaks in the white revealed tho
open water. and overhead hung dark
clouds of vapoT. another indication OF
n lead" OF open water, underneath.
Turning my eyes southwark toward
Teplitz bay. beheld the panorama OF
the camp spread out before me, the
hut and stable tent, the two little OBJ.
Hcrvatorics and tho numerous caches
Of food stores giving the appearance OF
IN 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 tide observation. Behind him
rose n brlstling ridge of Ice pinnacles,
which effectually blocked his view to.
ward the sea.
From my greater elevation I made
out the form OF great polar bear
crossing the rough ice toward the land.
AS watched lie reached high cake
Of Ice and. climbing upon 1t, raised
himself up on his hind quarters and
looked over toward the spot where Mfr.
Long. the observer. was Mt work Then
realized his object There was no
one else in sight, and Long was un.
armed. Could l reach camp, seize
rife and make my way out on the bay
before the bear began his attack?
In tho cold. crisp mir I ran the mile
or so toward the hut. race that for.
tunately was down grade. rushed
into the house, secured my rife and set
of as fast MS my legs would carry me
toward where Ind Inst seen the bear.
Usually the dogs ut camp thought It
great sport TO join in such a chase, but
this time they crouched around the
hut, whining and whimpering and re-
fuslng to follow as / RIM past them
with my rihe. soon 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. rs the ice was now very
rough. in the direction of the advanc-
Ing beast. AS | was crossing the top
OF the first pressure ridge l saw the
bear coming my way. He caught sight
of me at the same moment, raised him
self on his launches to get n better
view. and then started in lope over
the Ice cakes in my direction.
raised my carbine, took a quick
sight and pulled the trigger. Instead
of the usual quick snap and explosion
felt the slow, gummy motion of the
bolt that told me that the lock was
frozen. In cleaning the gun few days
before ! must have left some oil in the
lock.
I worked the bolt back and forth.
trying TO warm up the mechanism by
friction. the great bear climbing rapid
ly and surely over the broken ice cakes
toward me all the while. Once more
pulled tile trigger. The unexpected
happened. and the cartridge exploded.
but in my haste. although so close,
made 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 GO
ing with great leaps in the direction
Of the open sea.
aimed and fired just as lie leaped
between two great ridges. This time
he fell in a heap. With the bears fall
the dogs set us such bowling. bark
ing and yelping as had seldom heard,
even from that noisy pack. Every dog
in camp now started for the fallen
king.
Tho bullet had gone through his
back. paralyzing his hind quarters, but
he was able TO swing around on the
fiat Zoe and deal fearful blows with
Ills great fore paws. But the combat
was too unequal. One more bullet and
the great bear WINS beyond all further
pain.
The men from camp had now ar
rived, and the dogs were caught end
harnessed to sledge. Upon it we
dashed the carcass of the bear and
then, cutting trail back to land,
hauled our load to the hut. welcome
addittAr 10 To-