Evening star., 1923-02-04

particularly upon bright sunny days
of April and May. far beyond the
snow-clad heights of Ellesmere Land
In a country away from the haunts of
man and given over to the musk OK
and the white polar bear.
TO one standing amid the deathlike
stiffness of the far north and looking
at silent, snow-clad hills. sentinel
peaks. towering cliffs and deep fiords
ii seems unreal-certainly not a part
of this world. but a near view of
some planet long since dead. And
especially does this seem to be true
when standing at the edge of the
polar sea on a moonlight night. How
far-how immensely distant in every
Imaginable way-from the busy.
workaday. bustling streets of New
York or Boston.
As our nine sledges swung south
into Eureka sound. l realized. with
a strange feeling. that we were the
first human beings to break the still
ness of this region in fourteen years.
Apparently there was not a living
thing here. Our practiced eyes
searched the fields of ice to differen-
lidtt between the SllSHllN yellOW1Su
skin of the white" bear and the pure
white drifted SHOWS of the arctic.
We were hunting the tiger of the
north"
This great animal is profoundly
respected and universally acknowl
edged by the Eskimos also as the
king of the north. Seated about the
little stone lamps in the half-light
if their winter igloos, those black
haired warriors of Smith sound re
hearse the valiant deeds of their
fathers and their own younger days
when the powerful weapons of the
white stranger from the southland
were unknown to the tribe.
Their eyes flash, their muscles
grow tense as they vividly portray
their hand-to-hand struggles with
heavy lances. fashioned from the
ivory spiral tusk OF the tabled sea
unicorn, the narwhal And not
always were they victorious. -,
Even though assisted by their faith
ful. strong dogs, frightful scars still
in evidence on the na-rators attest to
lost and sanguinary battles.
:: I; !: Z
IVES. Nan-nook -suah-big bear-is
admired as well as feared, for he
possesses in full all those qualities
which every successful hunter would
have-patience, courage, strength, en-
durance. When the Eskimo and his
dogs drop from weariness, the polar
bear plods on. He is tireless. When
biting winds cut the face and blind
ing drift obscures the trail driving
the native to shelter, Nan-nook smiles
at the weakness of man.
When the brightness of summer
has gone and winter darkness creeps
over the land. concealing all tracks
Of game and the tiny breathing holes
OF seals. hammock is not balked, but
goes unerringly from hole to hole
When strong winds and heavy seas
drive the Esk imo and his kai-ack
to the shelter of the headlands. Nan
nook easily breasts the icy waves. or
gees drifting off to the south. COM
placently seated upon an iceberg.
Does the white man wonder then
why in the little sealskin bag round
the neck of the Eskimo child there
may be found a bit of fur or the
claw of the polar bear? Could there
be-they say-a better or stronger
guardian over the life Of the boy?
Surely he cannot come to harm with
such a protector.
Within a few minutes after we had
entered Eureka sound. a "Ta-koo.
hammock -suah," from Arklio snap
ped the ears of our ninety dogs to
80;
the ford ice. In moment the rest
OF us understood. too. Stretched out
at full length upon his breast with
his black muzzle concealed in the
hair of his forefeet lay a polar bear
His mind was so intent upon the
capture of seal at it's breathing hole
that he did not notice our approach
until we were within 100 yards.
The dogs were now at full speed.
Sledges were bounding, whips like
swapping, Eskihnos were yelling like
mad: for it is curious belief of
theirs that the louder one yells the
slower the bear will be in starting
possibly petrified at such an unearthly
noise
The bear finally sprang to his feet,
pIGIHly MY Sllueu dl SUM
sight as ninety leaping dogs. Men
and dogs were as yet unknown to
him. Hitherto all life had avoided
him-but now something was com
ing! He turned and with long leaps
headed for the center of the sound.
My ten gray dogs. all splendid ami
mails, had swiftly passed team after
team and were now fast forging to
the front 1 reached for my camera,
hanging from the upstanders of my
sledge, swung my leg over my load !
TO sit astride in order that l might
grip with my knees. / buried my face !
in the hood to focus on the bear. now |
twenty yards in the lead. Suddenly |
there was a blurred figure on the |
ground glass, and a thud against the |
bow of my sledge. I had scooped him !
up.
When the bear suddenly stopped my |
dogs scurried to right and left. allow {
ing him to come right aboard" |
"Close-ups" are much desired in mo- !
tion pictures, but this was not one !
until made it so by reeling off about /
fifty feet to the right before I stopped |
to look back.
When turned the bear was stand