ALASKAN BEAR. 147 



more than one trophy of the bear family 

 from the land of everlasting snows. 



Bear are very plenty in Alaska and the 

 Klondike country, and they are, perhaps, 

 a bit more ferocious than in California, for 

 I have seen more than one man hobbling 

 about the Klondike mines on one leg, hav- 

 ing lost the other in an argument with 

 bear. 



As a rule, the flesh is not good, here, in 

 the salmon season, for the bear is in all 

 lands a famous fisherman. He sits by the 

 river and, while you may think he is asleep, 

 he thrusts his paw deep down, and, quick 

 as wink, he lands a huge salmon in his 

 bunch of long, hooded claws. 



A friend and I watched a bear fishing 

 for hours on the Yukon, trying to learn his 

 habits. I left my friend, finally, and went 

 to camp to cook supper. Then, it seems, 

 my friend shot him, for his skin, I think. 

 Thinking the bear dead, he called to me 

 and went up to the bear, knife in hand. 

 But the bear rose up when he felt the knife, 



