Evening star., 1928-04-01
BY WILLIAM HENRY SHEPPARD.

~ EopIE who have never come in
- actual contact with bears can
Il which the intelligence OF some
or these animals is developed.
The old hunters saying. There is no
telling what bear will do" might well
be amended TO read, There is no tell
Ink what a bear won't do" for very
often Bruin shows positively uncanny
cleverneSs and reasoning power s
The following incidents illustrative
Of bears cunning and resourcefulness
occurred on one. of the tributary creeks
to Eootenay Lake, British Columbia.
It is doubtful whether readers would
believe the tale If alone had been a
sufferer from the animals depredations
but 1t happened that several other. pros
pecting parties fell foul of this particu-
lar bear and can corroborate my testi-
mony..
one fall located a large deposit of
eilver-iead and zinc ore at an altitude
cf, over 5000 feet on one Of the tribu-
tary creeks OF Kootenay Lake. at
point about miles distant from the
lake.
After making the discovery, built q
substantial log cabin with q roof of split
cedar. which ! spiked down with l0-
inch spikes. This cabin was located in
the heavy timber at the foot of the hill
below my mine and some miles from
kootefay Lake: After considerable
scouting around. I blazed out the best
route could find from the cabin TO
the lake. and then retired to town for
the Winter.
When the snow melted in the
Spring, took my family to camp
] had established on the lake shore
near the mouth Of the creek. This
gave them . splendid holiday While !
busted myself in packing" up TO the
cabin the large amount Of supplies that
had brought with me for use while
developing my mine
The daily journeys with a pack weigh
ing about 50 pounds. through a rugged
mountainous country where no trails
existed. were exceedingly laborious. but
] stuck doggedly TO the Job. and in Is
days I managed to move all the stores
to the. cabin. I then took my family
back to Nelson before settling down TO
real work.
In Nelson engaged an old pioneer,
Dick Brown by name. TO assist me at
the mine, and five days later we re-
turned to the creek. The steamer landed
Us at II o'clock, and. as the weather
was very hot, We took it fairly easy over
the rough route to the cabin, carrying
nothing tutr our bedding.
we:approarhed the shack in the cool
Of the evening. and when about 200 feet
away got our first glimpse Of the little
place through an opening IN the trees.
Looking down upon the roof, we stood
shocked at the sight that met our eyes,
for the thick, heavy slabs had been torn
20 slfreds. as though they had been
matchwood, and there was O gaping
hole In the center.
with q feeling Of impending disaster
We approached the cabin, removed the
bar which held the door In place, and
stepped inside. The spectacle within
rnomentarfly deprived me Of speech. for
the interior Of the cabin presented the
most complete picture Of destruction ]
had ever seen. The neat shelves / had
nailed to the wan and loaded with pro-
vtzors-stores patiently carried on my
hack over q tortuous route beneath
hot. grreiing srn-were an destroyed.
- ~
PAcoN hams. zo-pcund sacks Of
sugar. and two large cans Of sirup
al were gone. Z Inbsdded deep In
The ground vere remnants Of the other
supplies. trampled In BY the feet Of
wi1at vas evidently an enormous grizzly
bear. Packages OF beans. -four. rice.
raissnS and .prgpeS. and canned vege-
tables. fruit and cream had all been
torn and punctured by the animals
teeth
Curs1ng vefeuaently at the havoc.
Dick baiIt . campfire and managed 70
salvage enough food from the wreck
20 make o supper Of sorts. That night
We slept under the stars, taking turns
to witch the cabin. Our rifles were
loaded, and We hoped the great brute
would return for another feed, but we
had no luck, for Mr. BTuin was too
wise TO show up while We were around.
The following morning we cached"
our blankets IN . tree and went out 10
fetch q load Of grub. This tinaee we
went straight through 70 the nire,
fEeping the provisions near us az all
times. For. several days we hunted in
the vicinity Of the cabin, killing sew
erzi bears, but none Of them, Judging
by the size OF the tracks, corYeSponded
with the animal that had robbed US.
Hearing Of my strike" on the creek,
q prcs3ectcr named Jimmie Warren. a
skilled bear hunter and trapper. ar
rived With his dog and his partner
Hagen, VINO also had fair reputation
~ O hunter, From our camp at the
mine We could see the smoke Of their
IRE curling up through the trees, and
decided 10 pay our neighbors visit.
We found they had cleaned up my
abandoned cabin and repaired the roof,
and after the usual brief introductionS
axkGA xxxa t<sFSSsnfu skff1u 4 h1 a
packed In food Just for the bears 70 eat.
] told them the whole story. trying 10
see the. hurnor Of IL as ! did 50. and
concluded by advising them 10 watch
OUT for their own grub.
Warren laughed, thinking my TN
fortunate experience q fine joke On q
man wfao had spent a. many years In
the nils sc myself. Seeing that he did
not take tpe bear seri0usly, recon-
n9eDde6 further precautions 70 protect
their food.
I'D like 10 see the bear that could
get any Of our grub" replied Warren
I'VE are dead wise 70 their little ways :"
But This particular bear. IT seems 70
me Is extra cunning" told him. Il
10 not think any provisions viii be safe
cn tfle creek until he IL killed of"
According 70 the tracks round here, ''
sid Hagen, THE bears are pretty thick.
but ] can assure you We are no tender.
feet. and quite capable Of taking care of
ourselves. This beax must have got
your eOat, EilsppGsct"
~Au right" replied, rather nettled
NJ his tone, Watch out he DOESN'T gel
yoyrey' And With that We returned TO
the mine.
A few days later Brown and had
occasion " pass the cabin We found
toe cooT strongly barred, and the two
iaen absent. but on looking round We
esy1e1 tiaeiT cache
IL wss q unique one, " say the least
Their foo1 iz&d been slowed ia two
sacks. hung from . pole nailed up be-
tween two henlleck trees standing about