Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-14
GOOD SPORT IN ARCTIC RESIGNS
POLAR BEARS ARE EASY GAME
FOR HUNTER.
They Think Men Are Seals-EasieI
to Kill Than to Catch
Rabbit.

Few people realize. probably, that one
can find nowadays splendid facilities for
shooting. with excellent chance of sue
cess, too. the bears and the other animals
of the polar regions
Such an enterprise is easily undertake
en-, not only in a relatively short space
of time, but under conditions Of security
as we'll.
In Germany this sort of sport has been
developed for some time. and actually
every year one of the great amateurs, NJ
de Gisberg, of Hamburg. organizes joint
ly several arctic expeditions which have
no other object than that of the chase
OF one Of these expeditions George Ia
firopulo gives an, account In L'IlIustra-
ton.
The party left Dontheim on the morn
ing of July 2, ON board the Lofoten. a
heavy Norwegian steamboat, about nifty
two meters long. and pretty well manned
There were ten hunters, each or whom
had his own cabin.
The numerous company which Travelled
with them contained even the curers o.
the skins, so that all trophies might be
safely preserved. A doctor went with the
expedition.
At the Isle Of Bears.
On July they reached the polar seas,
where they plowed about till they ar
rived at the Isle Of Bears on July a.
A bear chase Is not dangerous II one
has GOODNESS of mind and a good gun
Taking everything into account. 1t Is
easier properly to wound a bear than to
catch q rabbit between hedges. because
in spite of his ferocity the bear knows
little about defending himself against
man, armed as man Is nowadays. Be-
sides, the arctic bear does not recognize
man as such, and takes him, for the most
part, for seal.
The pilot among the hunters. perched
in his crows nest on the mast of the ves-
sci and provided with a huge telescope,
can distinguish in clear weather a bear
five kilometers off, or farther. SO tine
hunter has time to watch his prey and to
prepare his plan of attack. One can nave
splendid hunts on the icebergs as well.
Sometimes the bear takes to the water
to escape. In this case he Is lost. Tor ne
cannot swim as quickly as boat can FOL.
low, and the hunter can Kill him aimos'
without running any risks.
It is a fact worthy of remark that one
ball will do it If well placed-that is to
being shot In the heart have swum loo OF
| 200 meters
Dangers Are Incidental.
The dangers to which one Is exposed are
less in the actual hunt than in the Incl
dentals. A hunter has always reason 10
fear the sudden breaking Of the ice be-
meath his feet. The thick snow with
which it is covered often hides crevices
or entire ruptures.
Then there is the dense fog. which rises
with astonishing suddenness: there are
storms which may injure the vessel. or at
least keep it for a long time impris oned
between ice foes driven by the wind. The
state of the weather makes the greatest
difference in these expeditions. An intense
fog may keep one absolutely motionless
for ten days.
Without this circumstance. MI Zanro-
milo saws. his hunters record would have
been much more satisfactory. AS 1t was
at the end Of fifteen days 1t showed twen-
ty bears, and the party had captured
as well live cub six months oio. BE-
sides there were thirty-one seals, two of
them huge. and two blue foxes IN the bag
The party collected twenty-one KINDS OF
birds, which swarmed around the lsland.