New-York tribune., 1909-03-21

CPEAKING Of avalanehes,' remarked MAJOR
- Gaspe. apropos of nothing at all, reminds me
~ ,f q curious and disastrous adventure OF mine
lew years ago IN the Canadian Rockies
Engaged IN gathering material for my great
yCrk The Fauna Of Five Continents, had Deth
hunting md exploring IN the koOtenal range Tor
many weeks. with excellent results My sole assist
ant was "a local guide named Syd Hinton, the best
hunter and trapIer and the worst practical Joker
have ever met sgd had been commissioned TO pro
liz, grizzly bear for the Bronx loo. and had
consented 10 accompany me only on condltoh lAil'
IL he succeeded in trapping a suitable specimen,
I should help him bring 1t IN Whether intentional
his part or not this agreement certainly proved
L. ta a ioke me huge enough % satisfy even oyd
arri-Sslv elemental sense OF hunIOr.
For sgd had unquestIonably succeeded; but the
f5e,ar-and he was a big fellow-had shown SIN
gular lack OF consideration allowing himself TO be
captured hundred and fifty miles from anywhere
IN as perverse and perpendicular region as 1t mas
ever been my hard lot to negotiate when unI1n-
1--1ed by an obstinate and peevlsh grizzly trtV-
The method adopted by sgd TO induce his Bear
ship to oin our party return to cIvllzaiion WAS
ingenious if somewhat nerve Tacking- lie had con
trlyed with uncommon daring and not without some
painful souvenirs, to place round the animal neck
. stout collar to which was attached long ma
strong steel chain fastened midway OF ITS lcngtn 10
a hea,v log The loose half of the chain ended III
srlaphoo1. by means of which BTuIn was made last
70 some convenient tree whenever we were not on
the march.
NJ HIN II lIlllt 10 lOEt pllr bJ'i ''CN4
preach the bear-he always kept Its appetite
On keen edge-with a sucCulcnt morsel OF 1000,
while ! would sneak up IN the rear and unhook tlS
,iain. on which ] retained firm grip with bolh
Adilds Ihe bear. Of course, would Jump Tor the
lood with which SID would rapidly, dangling
j taIttiizingiy before the eyes of the hungry beast
Ihe weight pt The log. and my own applied when
Necessary, imposed a sufficient handicap TO insure
Syd retaining the lead When a rest became ad-
fissnIe or necessary. sgd would throw the meat 10
the bear and while he was engaged in devouring 1t
would take round the nearest tree with my
end q The chain snap the hook on It, and quickly
retire 10 Il safe distance
lh1s procedure worked beautifully IN theory; but
Was sometimes uncomfortably defective IN practice.
FoT instance. not infrequentlv the bear would get
ITed q chasing sgd and arbitrarily decide 10 turn
MS attention 10 me, which required much alertness
Oh my part 10 elude him especially If there no
Iee immediately at hand 10 hitch up to. In that
as would have 10 drop everything and run; and
Syd ana would change places for awhile-but never
Ioi any longer than l could help
" hen you realize that each day, after
EaElI8 gone through these acrobatiC and
ulS'tHlppsIng experiences. we had to go back
over The tran. load pack animals, and z
cohducl them 10 camp by another route, n
you v al understand how thoroughly and how N
soon Tepented OF my bargain. | shall always n
retain the highest appreciation Of sgd ability
@S tTapper, whether Of bears of men