Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22
D. c. SCOUT HUNTS
BEARS IN ALASKA
Barely Escaped Starvation
During Six Weeks Stay
in Kodiak WiIds.


nearly cost him his life through starva-
ton and at times forced him to make
his diet of sea gull eggs, Robert Dick
Douglas, jr., 17-year-old Boy Scout, has
returned to his studies at Georgetown
University, after completing six weeks
hunt for the Kodiak bear, second largest
animal in the world, through the wilds
of Kodiak Island, of the coast OF
Alaska.
Armed with a camera, the youthful
hunter searched the island, accom-
panied by q cook guide and a packer,
to provide material for his new book,
which is to be published within a
month, and will tell of conditions on
the rugged island in the Aleutian group
and of the hardshipS which he expert
enced there. This Is to be the second
publication regarding the youths trav-
els, as he has published a history OF
his trip with the Martin Johnson ex-
petition to the interior of Africa.
Employed by George Palmer Putnam
publisher, Douglas sailed from Seattle,
Wash, May Is, taking the inside pas
sage on the small steamer that touches
Kodiak Island once in 80 days. Arriv-
ing at his destination, he secured his
guide, packer and cook, all Scan
dinavians, who would lead him to the
hauntS of the Kodiak bear and to other
places which would furnish him with
material.
Shots by Camera.
From a small camp on the coast Of
the island, the hunter conducted his
search. Many times he shot" at bears,
but the damage to the huge animals
was slight, as his shots were merely
photographs. Although the bears are
regarded as plentiful on the island,
Douglas said, they are difficult to ap-
proach.
Searching, sometimes, far from his
camp all day, Douglas said, he has
failed to find bear, but has returned
to his headquarters at dusk to find their
tracks leading to his tent.
Only change in wind saved the boy
and two of his companions from starry
ing on one occasion. Putting out from
the coast one clear morning, in a small
rowboat equipped with an cupboard
motor, the hunters reached small I'M
inhabited island, several miles out to
sea, but after surveying the island, they
discovered that a changing wind had
dashed the sea and caused such waves
that 1t was impossible to return.
THE first day I got hungry" Doug
las said, but the second day I was
starved, aud on the third day 1t be-
came terrible. The fourth day, in the
morning, we managed to spear sal
mon in small stream. Later In the
day, the wind again changed and we
finally succeeded in navigating our
small craft back to the shore"
Aged Sea-Gull Eggs.
Although a large quanrI,y of sup
plies was taken GA the trip, the youLn
anu his companions at times ate sea-
gun eges, cUnSluereo cnolce 1000 by
Lne INDIANS OF me islano.
We hau been IN the naolt OF eat
ing the eggs fresh, as we wouIu hen
eggs at nome," Douglas explained,
until a certain experience ruined my
taSCe for them. Two AIeutS came 10
our camp one night TO borrow our Try
ing pan ana to make use OF our nre.
Wnen we gave 1t TO them they produced
several sea-gull eggs mat were wen past
the Sage o. belns IreSn. Inc AnoianS |
40 not ENJOY Sea-gul eggs until Lney |
are several weeks OIu.' |
Lne ABILITY o. the indians, lncluolng |
four -year-uIu Cnlloren anu oId men, W
pay musical instruments was one OF
the must interesting speCCacleS the
youth observed.
"lne indians have their Bible" he
SAID. 1t is known 10 Lne WnlCe man
as the 'Aleut blple,' put 1t Is nothing
more than a catalogue from man-or-
der house. Inc pages that show PIC
lures OF musical instruments are well
tIlumbed, and natives know an lnStru-
ment by its number. During my stay
I overheard a conversation between two
natives in regard to guitar.
THE first one said, i hear you have
Q new. guitar. What kind is 1t| The
second replied, Number 243-XBC, and
the first was SO well acquainted with
MS catalogue that no further question:
inc WAS necessary"
Play and Sing Jazz.
In addition to the Aleuts ability to
play stringed musical instruments, Ihey
can be heard singing and playing Amer
lean music, especially Jazz. II
From the mail oroer mouse" ne SAID,
"the Indians order phonograpn records,
the latest ones produced. Many OF
them have ancient monographs on
which they are played, but as soon as
an Indian learns the words ana music
of the record, so that he may play 1t
on his guitar or other instrument, ne
breaks it or gives it away"
The natives of the island are
mixture of Russian and Aleut Indian,
and speak the Russian language, put
are able to understand and talk a1eW
English words, Douglas said.
In the Summer they fish and hunt,
and save enough money from the sale
of their catches to buy musical 1nstru-
ments, and during the long Winter
months they dance and sing the latest
numbers that have arrived from the
mail-order house. II
Following the publication of Douglas
book on hls travels in Africa, Putnam
that he make this journey TO
Alaska, and, on his return, informed
him that another trip to some isolated
section of the world was being con-
Eidered. Until that time the youth will
continue his studies at Georgetown.
where he is a sophomore, he said yes