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Polar Bear Killed While Defending Her Young

Luden (119) the piece. A third time the noose was At another time they saw three Bears laid, the rope was now buried in the snow, approach, when one hid himself behind a and the bait laid in a deep hole dug in large mass of ice, and for the two others the centre. But Bruin, after sniffing the party made ready with their weapons. about the place for a few minutes, scraped On the ice was a tub, in which was some the snow away with his paw, threw the rope aside, and once more escaped unhurt with his prize.

Terrible Combat. meat soaking; one of the Bears put in his head to get a piece, but was instantly shot, and dropped down dead. The other Bear stopped, examining his companion, apparently surprised at his not moving, The statements of some of the early navigators require qualification. That and then made off. Subsequently he rethe Polar Bear, when pressed, will attack turned, and raised himself on his hind man, there is no doubt, and that such an legs, as if to spring on his assailants, but attack must be formidable will be evi- he was wounded by a shot, and made off dent to any one who looks on the dead, with a loud cry. A Sailor Seized. but especially the living animal. But when one man informs us that he and his Two of the crew of a vessel which had comrades slew a Polar Bear which was anchored near Nova Zembla landed on an twenty-three feet long, and another that island at the mouth of the Weigats, and, he and his party suffered from the fre- impelled by curiosity, wandered some disquent attacks of these animals, that they tance from the beach; but, whilst uncon. seized on the seamen, carried them off scious of danger, one of them was sudwith the greatest ease, and devoured denly seized on the back by a Bear, and them at their leisure, we must pause brought to the earth. His companion before we can give them entire credence. ran off and gave the alarm, and a party With these Bears the Polar voyagers of his shipmates came to their assistance. have had many adventures. One morn- The Bear stood over its prey during their ing a party saw a White Bear, and rowed approach without the least appearance of a boat towards him, wishing to put a fear, and, on their attack, sprang on one rope round his neck; but, on approaching of their number, and almost made him a his aspect was so formidable that they victim to its ferocity and power. The dared not run the risk. They, therefore, rest now fled in confusion, and could not returned on board, to get more men and be induced to renew the conflict. Three arms; and, thus provided, they rowed sailors only among the crew had sufficient their boats towards the Bear, and en- courage to combat this formidable anigaged in combat with him for the space mal; they attacked it, and, after a danger of four turns of the hour-glass before ous struggle, killed it, and rescued the their weapons produced any effect. At mangled bodies of their ship-mates. length he was wounded on the back by Always on the watch for animals sleepa blow from a hatchet; but as this did not ing on the ice, the Bears endeavor, by prevent his swimming away, he was struck stratagem, to approach them unobserved, with the hatchet on the head, which for, on the smallest disturbance, the aniproved fatal. The Bear was now taken mals dart through holes in the ice, which on board and skinned; the flesh was eaten, they always take care to be near, and thus but it made those who partook of it ill. evade pursuit. One sunshiny day, a wal-