| There are perhaps two thousand bears on Admiralty | | | | sky brightened, stepped into the rushing stream just |
| Island, and not a black among them-just big brownies | | | | outside the cabin door. |
| and grizzlies. Bears are the largest carnivorous animals | | | | Our guide seemed to know every hidden and |
| left in the world today, and those of Admiralty are | | | | projecting rock beneath the surface of the tumbling |
| nearly as large as the famous Kadiak bear, a species | | | | water, and stepped easily from one foothold to |
| limited to Kadiak Island. Specimens weighing more than | | | | another, while we stumbled behind him. He carefully |
| one thousand pounds and standing from seven to nine | | | | plucked off every frond of fern or branch of devil's |
| feet tall on their hind legs have been taken on the | | | | club or alder that might brush against us, to kill our |
| Alaskan Peninsula and the southeastern coast. During | | | | scent, and always had us step upon bare rocks or in |
| the spring these great animals live up among the | | | | the water, and, after crossing fallen logs without |
| snow-capped peaks, eating grass and roots and | | | | touching them with our hands, to splash them with |
| minding their own business. Then, in late July, they drift | | | | water to wash off any possible scent. Our cameras |
| down to the banks of the streams, where the salmon | | | | were in packs on our backs, and Hasselborg carried a |
| are madly spawning, to enjoy a rich diet fresh from | | | | heavy.405 rifle to be used only if we met a bear that |
| the icy waters. Then it is that the camera hunter | | | | had been previously shot at, and remembered his |
| should seek them out. | | | | hatred of man. |
| It was one day in late when we paddled our canoe to | | | | Frequently at sharp bends in the stream he would |
| that cabin. We had left the good ship Westward, with | | | | wade well out and peer cautiously around, having no |
| other eager bear hunters on board, and moored a few | | | | wish to come suddenly upon a big grizzly or brownie |
| miles out in Mole Harbor. We were to be the first | | | | unawares. The guide's precaution instilled confidence |
| contingent of bear hunters-the rest should have their | | | | rather than fear. We knew he had no desire to be |
| fling later. Our guide made us welcome; there on the | | | | mauled by an injured bear. That had happened once |
| cabin floor we spread our beds to sleep a few hours | | | | when he was collecting for a museum and was |
| until, in that black darkness just before dawn, we were | | | | endeavoring to kill the animal without injuring its |
| wakened as he stirred about cooking the breakfast | | | | important skull. About a mile above the cabin we came |
| mush. Soon we were lined with that lasting | | | | face to face with our first brown bear. |
| nourishment; we pulled on our rubber boots, and, as the | | | | |