Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-24
THE POLAR REAR

The following interesting account of the Polar
Bear is extracted from Harper's family library a
WORK aboundIng IN the most useful information.
In the caves OF the rocks in the hollows of the
ice, dwells the most formidable of Arctic ouadru-
Pcds, the Greenland or Polar Bear. This fierce ty-
rant OF the cliffs and of the north unites the
strength of the lion with the untameable ferceness
OF the hyena. long shaggy covering of white
soft hair and copious supply of fat enable him TO
defy tho winter of this rigorous climate Under
the neat OF Britain he suffers the most painful sem
satlons. remnant saw one, over whom it was ne.
ceSSary from time to time TO pour large pals full of
water. Another, kept some years by professor
jameson, evidently suffered severely by the heat
OF an Edinburgh summer. The haunt of the bear
is on the dreary Arctic shores or on mountains Of
ice, sometimes two hundred miles from land; vet he
IS not strictly speaking amphbious. He cannot re-
main under wafer but a few moments, and.he reach.
es ms maritime stations only by swimming from
one ICY fragment to another. Mr. Scoresby limits
lheH swimming reach to three or four miles: vet
F9rry found one in the centre of Barrows Strait,
where 1t was 40 miles across. This bear hovls
continually for his prev which consists chieHy If
'ne smaller cctacca and Of mailer seals which nm
aDic TO contend with Nn, shun their fate nv keen
my Strlct watch anu PionginE into the depth Of
the waters. With the " airus he holds dreadful
and doubtful encounters, and that uov,erf,1 animal
with his enormous tusks, frequently beats him off
with great damage. The whale he darea moi at
tack' but watches anI'ousiv for the huge carcass in
a dead state, which AFFORDS him "a PROLONGED and
All these sources Of supFly being procarious. he
IS sometimes left for weeks without food and the
tary OF his hunger then becomes tremendous. Al
such periods, man, vjewel by him always as his
prey, is attacked with peculiar fcrce1ess
The annals of the norti arc flied with accounts
OF The most pcrilous and tai conflicts Of the Polar
Bear. The first and one the most trapica1 v,as
sustained by Barentz an Hsemskerke. in i5o6
during the voyage for Co discovery Of the nortb
east passage. Having anchored at IN Island near
the strait of Waygatz, tvr Of the sailors landed
and were walking on the ,horc, whcn one of tlo,n
felt himself closely huge from behind. Think
ing this froic OF one of lis companions he called
out IN a corresponding one, who's there prav
stand off" His conr7d' looked, and scre,,ocI
ont ga bear! bear" tie running 10 The sbi,
harmed the crew with bud cries The e,;inrr |
ran to the spot armed tn pixies and rrnstot |
On their approach the bear very coo1v ,,,ittI H.
nanglcd corpse, sPrang ulon another sailor car
ried him off, and piungirg his Ten, IN ~; -
began drinking his blood al lon, dr,urLt tITouy'
upoR the whole OF tie sto. crevy etr,ot 'eIe-
ror, turned their bao ks an, fled ,yociitt ~ ,Ji
ship On arriving there tn begrr In IooI ,, III
other, unable to feel muc satiefsctio 1t - So
own prowess Three the stood Cor,b ,.., so''
King to avcnge the fate Of ter fellow co,-t,-e
md to for them thcEiphtso of b,r;,I
advanced and fired al FIRST fom 90 resnocfaLI ~
ance that they all missed The pursucr then