144 BIG GAME SHOOTING IN ALASKA chap, vn 



Peninsula. So far I had no specimen of a female bear, 

 and the question arose in my mind as to whether or no these 

 cubs could look after themselves if I killed their mother. 

 Strangely enough, although fully aware of it, the element of 

 danger in the undertaking did not then enter into my cal- 

 culations. Turning the glasses on the animals, it was soon 

 obvious that the cubs were yearlings, and big ones at that, 

 therefore they were fully able to make their own way in the 

 world. The native was carrying a 30.40 Winchester for my 

 second rifle, and telling him to load the magazine, I set off at 

 the double to get the wind right from the bears to us. A 

 smart run of nearly a mile brought us to a small rise whence 

 we could see the three bears busily engaged eating grass on 

 the plain some 500 yards away. There was a small hillock 

 about 100 yards from them, and seeing they were in no 

 hurry to move, I made a dash for this, keeping well out of 

 sight. Crawling to the top of this brow, I saw the old bear 

 sitting down about 45 yards away, but protected by both the 

 cubs, which were between her and me. At that moment one 

 of the cubs walked up to her, and, being annoyed with it, she 

 gave the most startling snarl of rage, and struck at it with 

 her paw. Then, getting up, she started walking away from 

 me. For a moment the point of her shoulder was visible, 

 and, chucking up the rifle, I fired. She whipped round and 

 stood facing me in the open, both cubs running close into 

 her side. Standing up I fired again at her chest. Giving 

 an appalling yell, she came straight at me, with the cubs 

 keeping close on either side of her. As they were coming 

 very fast, I knew it would be impossible to fire three shots 

 before they were on me. Therefore I shouted to the native, 

 " Shoot one little one," as, although I knew they did not 

 mean fighting, the idea of being run over in the blind rush of 



