The Englishman and The "Grizzly" A Bear Story With a Stinger By C. H. FRENCH

Leaving Wrangell, Alaska, for Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, in the spring of 1914, I overtook an Englishman who intended to spend the summer in the interior of British Columbia, and after enjoying a big game hunt in the fall would return to civilization.

Before we had got far up the river, night overtook us, making it necessary for the "gas" boat on which we were travelling to tie up for the night. The beach on which we landed was a sandy one that would permit of walking along the shore for some distance; so my friend, the Englishman, started out to stretch his legs.

Not far up the beach there commenced a large piece of low, swampy country and just before coming to it my friend caught a glimpse of what he thought was a large grizzly bear going speedily through the bush. Wasn't the Englishman excited! A few well-directed spider-like movements landed him back on the launch. After his struggle for breath was over we learned the exciting news. We agreed that our friend should be allowed to do all the execution, while we kept in the background in order to help out should the brute attack.

Guns were made ready and a stealthy advance was commenced. At length the rifle of our friend went to his shoulder and bang! In a moment the monster was dead.

By this time it was quite dark, so we made haste and prepared to drag the game to the launch to be skinned. Finally, after tugging and working with all our strength, with perspiration pouring off our foreheads, we concluded the carcass was too heavy to be handled by only six ordinary men.

A suggestion was then made to run a line from the boat and attach it to the hand capstan and haul him along in that way. This scheme was tried and after working hard (putting more grease on the gears every ten minutes) our enthusiasm began to wane and before another half hour had passed it was decided to leave the monster where it was until daylight, when it would be skinned where it lay.

We were up bright and early the next morning and while breakfast was being prepared the hunting and skinning knives were ground and sharpened to a fine edge and fit to cut the toughest hide or even to shave with.

Breakfast was finished and we trooped off to where lay the king of the forest (especially the low-lying swampy fringed forest) and after coats were thrown off and sleeves rolled up to above the elbows the operation of skinning was ready to commence.

Our friend the Englishman was naturally anxious that the job be a neat one, as he certainly was anxious to have that hide mounted, especially on account of its large size and its being the first specimen of big game killed by him in Cassiar, and he suggested that we wait a few minutes longer until it was full daylight.

At last the light of the rising sun commenced to show brightly in the east until it ended in one great burst of brilliant glory which held us as in a trance admiring its beauty.

Finally we turned to the animal and the work of skinning. One glance in the improved light was sufficient to show that there was something wrong, and that our grizzly bear was not a bear after all.

But what was it? Owing to my years of experience the matter was referred to me, and after making a close examination I was able to announce with surety that the supposed grizzly bear was only a common, everyday Stikine River mosquito, of perhaps a little greater size than is usually encountered.

It was then up to everyone to remark that they were sure from the first that it was not a bear. But the climax was reached when the Englishman expressed surprise that we had any doubts about what the animal really was right from the start, because he had killed it only to get the stinger, which, he was told, made an excellent golf club.

Pigeon Trap

In the June issue I note a reference to the pigeon trap at H.B.C. Calgary Gun Club.

As a devotee of the gun myself, and without any wish to presume to dictate to Mr. Chamberlain or any member of the Gun Club, I would respectfully draw his attention to the fact that the practice of shooting live pigeons sprung from traps has received severe condemnation; so much so that it is contemplated to discontinue the "sport" at Monte Carlo, Biarritz, and many other fashionable resorts. Also the British parliament intended to set the seal of its disapproval on this pastime by an Act which would render it prohibitive.

The Times of April 27th, 1921, says:

"A standing committee of the House of Commons, over which Mr. Hodge presided, yesterday considered the Bill introduced by Sir Burton Chadwick to prohibit the use of captive birds in all shooting carried on under artificial conditions.

"Sir Burton Chadwick moved a minor amendment to Clause 1, which renders any person concerned in shooting of captive birds liable to a maximum fine of £25, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both."

Again on May 27th, The Times reports:

"We are able to state on high authority that the directors of the Casino at Monte Carlo have decided to abandon the use of living birds in the pigeon-shooting competitions at Monte Carlo."

John McMurray, Chief Accountant's Office, Winnipeg

Old Fur Trader Ill

Joseph Sinclair, 83, a former H.B.C. fur trader at York Factory and in the Saskatchewan district, was admitted to the Winnipeg General Hospital on April 21st. Mr. Sinclair is suffering from cancer, a rodent ulcer on the face. He has had an attack of pneumonia while in hospital, but recovered and according to his physician is doing as well as could be expected.