American Big Game in its Haunts 



This class of native no longer exists on Kadiak, 

 but it is said there is one famous old Aleut near 

 Iliamna Lake on the mainland who scorns any but 

 this method of hunting. 



High above the den where the three bears were 

 killed was a scoop out of the cliff called the 

 shaman's barabara. Here, before Russian times, 

 the shamans or witches were buried, and here also 

 were kept the masks used in certain ceremonial 

 rites. The Russians removed the mummies and 

 masks long ago. 



The shamans were considered oracles. It was 

 claimed they could prevent a whale from swimming 

 out of a bay by dragging a bag of fat, extracted 

 from the dead body of a newly born infant, across 

 the entrance. Their instructions were unfailingly 

 obeyed, as it was supposed they could cause death 

 as a punishment for their enemies. 



One evening at our first halting place beyond 

 Ozinka, we found tracks in the snow on one side 

 of our valley, and early in the morning came upon 

 a two-year-old bear, not far from camp. The bear 

 was grubbing about on the hillside, and we took 

 our position so that he crossed us under a hundred 

 yards. Unbeknown to me, and just as I was about 

 to fire, my native gave the caw of a raven to hold 

 the bear up. He whipped around and faced us, 



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