378 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



visions for ten days. The dogs were for the purpose of tracking, 

 the Indian method of traveling in summer, and the only way the 

 river can be ascended, on account of its rapid current. In track- 

 ing, the dogs are made to pull the boat by means of a long line, 

 one end of which is secured to the boat and the other to the dogs' 

 harness. The dogs trot along the bank, the boat being kept in 

 the stream by a paddle astern. When the bank becomes impassa- 

 ble, they are taken into the boat and paddled to the other shore. 

 After tracking two days, my companion and myself secured two 

 natives as guides, and, leaving the river, set off for the mountains. 

 At the end of the first day's tramp we sighted a black bear feed- 

 ing upon berries about a mile distant. We were both so exhausted 

 from our tiresome walk across the tundra, that we concluded to 

 send one of the guides after the bear. 



The Indian first seated himself and examined his rifle, select- 

 ing three cartridges and placing them in the gun. He then pulled 

 a few hairs from his clothing, which he threw into the air to as- 

 certain the direction of the wind, and then started so as to come 

 up to leeward of the bear. We kept careful watch through a 

 glass, and saw him on hands and knees work slowly toward the 

 animal. When within one hundred and fifty yards, he fired two 

 shots. The bear jumped and fell almost in his tracks. 



There are probably no more superstitious people in the world 

 than the northern Alaska Indians. Every action of their daily 

 life is governed by some belief handed down from father to son, 

 or originated by the shaman, the Indian doctor, who holds great 

 sway over them. The ceremonies attending the killing of the 

 bear will illustrate. Bruin was first placed upon his back, with 

 the head toward the mountains. The head was then skinned, 

 severed from the body, and taken by one of the natives who, 

 placing himself astride of the dead animal, raised and lowered the 

 head three times, touching the bear just over the heart each time, 

 and muttering some incantation. The third time he threw it from 

 him, uttering a loud shout, in which the other natives joined. 

 This was done to drive the bear's spirit to the mountains, so that 

 it would cause them no future trouble. A part of the dead ani- 

 mal had to be left on the spot where he was killed, or the hunters 

 would get no deer that season. A camp was made at the place, 

 and after the head had been roasted and picked clean it was 

 placed in the top of a high tree, but for what purpose they would 

 not tell. The skin was stretched flat upon the tundra — fur-side 

 down. The portion of the bear not consumed was placed in a tree 

 and a rude scarecrow made to keep away birds. The following 

 winter the skin and meat were sledged for and found in good con- 

 dition. 



While tracking along the river, numbers of dead salmon were 



