Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-24
BEAR UP!

About the Latest Attempt to Reach
The North Mole.
Az the great animal training estab-
lishrent at Hamburg presided over by
Mr.. Carl Hagenbeck, the famous ami
nal dealer four young polar bears are
being trained, with view to- their
enabling the daring Norwegian ex-
plcrer, Capt Amundsen, to make a
successful dash for the north pole dur
ing his Forthcoming Arctic expedition.
1'o learn something more or this novel
scheme. a representative of Answers
waited upon Mr. Hagenbeck at his ho-
tel when in London the other day.
Yes; 1t is quite true" he said, and,
by contract. l have to deliver the
troupe to Capt. Amundsen by May 1.
Furthermore, I have guaranteed that
as Gors.
Before tell you how I am training
them. perhaps you would be interested
to learn how secured them. The four
were chosen from a collection OF H.
Ter not every polar bear one gets hold
OF can be tanned They were caught
on the great Ice foes by whalers when
mere cubs, and sent to me at Ham
burg III great tubs or casks.
when they arrived at the depot, In
September last, they were about seven
months old. and very savage. Knowing
that ! had to train four of them, I
placed, 10 of them In a very large cage,
and, On the very day of their arrival
enc of my men was sent into the cage
To FEED them. The object of this was
to Get the beasts used to the presence
OF y human being. while it also has
tho effect Of tanning them somewhat.
They at once flew at the intruder. but
a few strokes from long stick sent
them back to their corners. In a few
weeks they realized that it was useless
to attack the keeper, so they allowed
hin, to enter and leave their den as he
pleased.
HE then carried them honey. sugar,
III little while some of them got so
tame as to run up to the man and
take bis Offering out his hand. At fhis
point we selected the four he decided
to train for the explorer, consigning
them to spacious cage. Another man
was now called into service, and the
two spent hours together among TIE
bears every morning and evening.
At the moment, all that the bears
ar" actually doing is to learn how to
draw pieces of wood round their cage
by means of a sort of harness, while
the trainer enQeaVOrS TO steer them
in various manners. Sometimes he
walks beside them. and indicates his
wishes by clubbing them on one side
or the other of their soft fluffy heads:
nt other times. a crude sort of bit Is
placed in the animals mouths, and
they are steered by this.
Very shortly now, the bears will be
harressed to carriages, and then to
sleighe that run on wheels. 1t Is Capt.
4Amundsen's Intention. of course to use
the bears to draw the sleighs over the
frozen ice.
10y next May the bears will be
rearly fuil-grown, and weigh close up
on a ton apiece. The polar bear Is
the biggest bear in the world, and is
exceedingly strong. Indeed. we caicu-
late that a full grown polar bear is as
strong as 10 horses or 100 sleigh dogs.
-Four bears, therefore. viii be equal to
40 rcrses, or to 400 dogs.
"No crea ture is better fitted for draw
Ing sleists over the frozen wastes than
the polar bear. He is the only hear
with hair on the soles of his feet. The
hairs not only keep his feet warm
on arctic nights. when the mercury