Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-05-18

overture Ir the Frozen Wastes
of the Arctic.
RACE TO SAVE A MANS LIFE

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 a great drift of snow. This served
rs Il thick blanket for our little hut
md helped to keep warm the thirty
line shipwrecked men who had been
marooned on the desert island of Rn
lolph, in the frozen wastes of the polar
sea-
One day, after a furry of storm, J
took a walk to Cape Saulen. On nv
way back to camp | stopped on 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 DART
clouds Of vapor. another indication o"
il lead" or 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
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 | could dlStin-
guish the silhouette of one Of my men
| taking Il tide observation. Behind him
rose Il brstling ridge of ice pinnacleS,
which effectually blocked his view to
ward the sea.
From my greater elevation | made
out the form of q great polar bear
crossing the rough ice toward the land.
AS | watched he reached Il high cake
of ice and. climbing upon it, raised
himself up on his hind quarters and
| looked over toward the spot where Mr.
Long. the observer. was at work. Then
l realized his object. There was no
one else in sight. and Long was un-
armed. Could | reach camp, seize
rife and make my way out on the bay
before the bear began his attack?
In the cold. crisp air | ran the mile
or so toward the hut. race that for
tunately was down grade. l rushed
into the house. secured my rifle and set
off as fast as my legs would carry me
| toward where l had last seen the bear.
Usually the dogs at camp thought it
| great sport to join in such chase, but
this time they crouched around the
hut, whining and whimpering and re-
fusing to follow as | ran past them
with my rifle. | 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, as the ice was now very
rough. in the direction of the advance
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 a 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 l must have left some oil in the
lock.
| worked the bolt back and forth.
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 SO close
made a 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.
aimed and fired just as he leaped
Between two great ridges. This time
he fell in heap. With the bears fail
the dogs set us such a bowling. bark
ing and yelping as had seldom heard.
even from that noisy pack. Every dog
in camp now started for the fallen
king.
, The bullet had gone through his
DdCh. dINZluS LIS quarters, Dut
he was able to swing around on the
, fiat 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
hQrnaSCn6 fn SlpHpn TInnn If
I dashed the carcass of the bear and
; then, cutting a trail back to land
hauled our load to the hut welcome
8 addition to the harder for men anG
;, dogs.-Anthony Frala in Youths Com
panion.
: An Interesting Animal.
HIGGINS = Ny "Yet'' was greatly