EXCITING ADVENTURE WITH A POLAR BEAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10014, 28 December 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

EXCITING ADVENTURE WITH A POLAR BEAR.

In connection with the Windward Polar Expedition the following interesting extract is takon from Mr. Jackson's journal, and recounts an advonturo ho had with a Polar bear:—"ln tho oarly morning of Fobruary 7 I had a near squeak with a bear. I had gone off hurriodly by mjH'ilf at ,) in. with merely breeches and coat over my pyjamas, having been on the point of turn nig into my blankets after being out all night previously bear-hunting. I hoard the dogs again barking on tho floes, so 1 followed the barking for two miles to an open polnia of wator, at tho edge of which I found a big boar engaged in making rushes at tho dogs, four of which were barking at, t.lio bear. I wounded tho animal badly tho first shot, and ho took to the water. Coming out again he rnado for Moiro Channel, over tho floe, with t'no dogs and me after him. As ho was distancing mo I fired a long shot at him, but as it was dark and misty with falling snow, I was nob sure whother I hit him or not. But it had the effect of making him return to the edge of tho wator. When I came up with him again I found him about JO yards from ilia edgo of it, giving vent to roars and hisses, and making

It (IS II AT Till! BOGS. As I had loft the house hastily, with only throe cartridges, and had (irod two, I had now only ono loft, so, wishing to tnako euro of him, I wont up to wisliin si* or seven yards of the brute. Ho rushed at mo first, with his head down, and I fired, but as I did so ho ruined his hoad, and my bullot went between his logs. In another minute ho was upon me, with his jaws wide opon, and a regulation menagerie roar. I had just time to rum tho riflo barrel with all my force into his mouth, and draw it back for another thrust. This was, apparently, a trifle too much for him, as he whipped sharp round and took to tho water, I had to return to " Elmwood" for moro cartridges, for I still had hopes of getting him. I exchanged my single-barrelled rifle for my doublo-barrollod, so as to have a second barrol ready in oast tho recent) incident should happen again, On my roturn I found ho had crossed tho water, and was 160 yards off, out of harm's way, roaring dismally. I was reluctantly obliged to leavo him, doubtless to die, as thero were no means of (jotting at him. My loft hand was cut by his tooth when it enteral his mouth in my thrust, and bled a good deal. On measuring the barrol afterwards I found that it must liavo penotratod his jaws 23 inches, a nasty jar for him J, should fancy.