Bear Hunting on Kadiak Island 



periences. We understood but little Russian and 

 Aleut, yet their expressive gestures made it quite 

 possible to catch the drift of what was being said. 

 It seemed that Ignati had had a brother killed a 

 few years ago, while bear hunting in the small bay 

 which lies between Eagle Harbor and Kiliuda Bay. 

 The man came upon a bear, which he shot and 

 badly wounded. Accompanied by a friend he fol- 

 lowed up the blood trail, which led into a thick 

 patch of alders. Suddenly he came upon a large 

 unwounded male bear which charged him unpro- 

 voked, and at such close quarters that he was un- 

 able to defend himself. Before his companion, 

 who was but a short distance away, could reach 

 him, he was killed. The bear frightfully mangled 

 the body, holding it down with his feet and using 

 his teeth to tear it apart. 



Ignati at once started out to avenge his brother, 

 and killed in quick succession six bears, allowing 

 their bodies to remain as a warning to the other 

 bears, not even removing their skins. 



During the past few years three men while hunt- 

 ing have been killed by bears in the same vicinity 

 as Ignati's brother, two instantly, and one living 

 but a short time. I think it is from these acci- 

 dents that the natives in this region have a super- 

 stitious dread of a "long-tailed bear" which they 



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