The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-09-26

oul o the hand. II shot with ball, unless
he is struck IN The head the heart, or the should
er, he Is enraged rather Than depressed, aud
| ial's with Increased power upon his pursuers.
Whenshvt al distance unable to escape, be
ha, teeQsobsefved 10 retire 10 the shelter ot.a
hammock, aud, as ii CONSCIOUS Of the ,iypiD
cal ,eiieei OF cold, apply SNOW with h's paws IL
The wdnnds =.
Though possessed Of courage and great
means Of defence, he always unless urged b
hunger, retreats before men. lis general
walk Is slow and deliberate but Hhen impell~
ed by danger or hunger, he proceeds py a
galloPing step; and upon ice caneasiIy out
run any man.
Bears. though they have been known 10 eat
one another, are remarkably shecilVDaie 10
, their young. The lelpsle which bas general
ly Two al Birth defends them with much
zeal, aud watches over them with much aDX
iety, that she sometimes falls sacrifice 10 her
maternal attachment. a pleasing and extra
| ordinary instance OF sagaciy IA mother hear,
| was related 10 me by a credible and vel IN
| formed person, who accompanied me In sew
ersi voyage TO The whale fisheries IN the Ia
pscliy OF surgeon. This bear, with two cubs
| under lis protection, was pursued across field
oil ice, by aparty OF armed sailor. Al first
she seemed 10 urge the young ones 10 an IN
crease OF speed by running before them, iurn
Ing around and manilesling by peouliaoac-
llon aud voice her Anxiety IoS tnelI pEQgress !;
uui tadng Ibc.r pufsuers gaming upon them,
size carried. OF pushed or plchedfhem al'en
s,eiy forward, until she effected tsNs eseape.
la throwing them before her, tN .lIiile Great
ues are SAID 10 have placed themselves across
her path, 10 receive impulse add when pro.
jecIed some yards l. advance, they ran on
wards until. size overlook hen, when hey al
| teuaiely adjusted themselves ior a second
! throw.
| Several instances oi peculiar ssgaciiy IN
Ith,se animals have been observed.
! A seal, lying on the middle OF a large field
| al ice, with a hole jusi beio,e II, was marked
out b, bear Tor lis prey, and secured by the
article OF diving undeI the ice, and making its
| way 10 the hole 10y which the seal was pre-
/ pared TO retreat. The seal, however, observ
ed IT'S approach and plunged into The water /;
/ but The bear Instantly sprung upon Il. and sp-
lpeaIed about minute Afterwards, with the
seal IA ,ts mouth.
The captain of one OF the whalers being
+ ANXIOUS to procure bear without wouhdiog
/ the kin, made trial OF The siraagem OF laying
/ ihe moose OF rope IN the snow, and placing
/ a piece OF k,eng within II. A Gear ranging
/ the neighbofing ice, was so0n enilced TO the
.spol bl The smell of the burning meat. He
-fetceived the bait, approached. aud seized 1t
/ in his mourn. but his foot, at ibe same mo
ment, by jerk OF the rope being entangled
! IN the moose, he pushed il Oft with The adjoln-
ing paw. aud deliberately retired. Alter
having ealen The piece he Carried away with
him, he returned The noose With another
piece OF the kreng, being then replaced, he
pushed the rope aside and again walked In
umphanily Of with the kfeng "A third time
! the Moose was laid but, excited to caution by
The evident observation OF the bear, the sail
ors buried the rope beneath the snow, and
laid the BAN IN deep hole dug ~ the centre.
TIE hear once more approached, a9d the sail
ors were assured OF their success. But Bruin,
more spacious than they expected, after
sDofing about the place for few moments,
| scIaped the snow away with Ms paw. threw
The rope aside, and again escaped unhun with
| his peize
! In The month of June. 1879. female bear.
with two cubs. approached the ship Com
manded, and was shot.--The cubs, .pot.A
tempting to escape, were taken sisve - l:hese
animals. lnough a. first evidently very unhsp
Ipy, became at length, IN some nieseEe ;kc
oncded 'c heir situation and being toersbly
tame, were allowed occa ionally TO Cd ~
| large about The deck while lie ship wa.
mooled TO h,e, few days after they were
taken one OF Them having rope fastened
| round his neck, WAS thrown overheard. II
immediately swan 10 the ice, goi upon H.,
and attempted TO escape. Finding itself,
however, detained by the rope, il endeaYored
10 dsengage Itself IN the following ingenious
way Near the edge Of the lue was crack
IN the ice, of a considerable length. but only
l9 inches OF two feet wide, and or feet
deep TO lhs spot The bear relurned-and
when. on crossing he chasm, the blgh, OF the
rope fell Into IT, he placed him acros, the open
,ng III. n ,usp, ndibg himself by his bind feet,
with eg on each side, he dropped the most
par Of his body into the ohasm; and with y
foot applied 10 each side OF the neck, attempt
"a for some minue e. ,o push the rope over his
mead. Findlng lbi. scheme i1eilectual. he
t..rnVad the nam ice 4uG fuuntnu with urea