The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-12-11
THE POLAR ssAs.
he IL Rank coward when r-o-.-'t
Face 60 Face Wg.a Ncl.

The character OF the l,lar lyc- p a
curious mixture of ooUal,ice anal , S.
ing FOR il will ly at the Sight 81 ...sl.
but viii often come close Up Ia the ...,
anu sometimes even try q enter them.
When met with in the water. h,ars
Rre killed with harpoons. On receiving
the first wound the animal utters lovd
roarS, seizeS the weapon with its tgVh,
pulls il out OF the injured part AMI hu: Is
il FAR away. Sometimes, bu, 10y no
means invariably. it will mln upon its
asSaiant Quickly il receives another
spear, or bird arrow, from second
kayak man. against whom il turns after
treating his weapon in the same mannC
and sometimes breaking II. and in this
way the struggle is continued until the
bear is overcome. The most important
precautionary rule which the hunters
have 10 observe is. when during the fight
the animal has dived, to keep sharp
lockout down into the water in order thar
it may not come up unawarcs right under
kayak. Its white CLEAN can always
be seen when it approaches the surface,
ana there is time to get away il it be
coming too near. When a bear is "a.
cOunterCd in the water or amid somewhat
scattered ice, its capture is considered n
certainty, for, although an excellent
swimmer, 1t cannot get away from a
kayak In the northern colonies, where
they are seldom seen. the GrcculIndcrS
appear TO he afraid Of them, but such i
far from being the case in the Julian
shaab district, where, in the water al
any rate, they are considered rs much
less dangerous than the walrus OF the
hooded seal.
The food Of bears consists mainly nf
seals, which, however, they cannot seize
IN the water but only when lying ON
shore or on ice, but as the seal, when In
such positions, Is cytrc,Hrly watchfvl a.d
wary. the slalk is often fruiilrSS. and The
bear is obliged more frequently than is
/, to depar; with an c:.p,y stomach.
Cauion they take at any tine. ln sum
ror they rob birds nests of eggs and
.oUng ones. and appear to bc partial also
TO berries. Probably. too they live upoa
rCl fowl. s,izing them fral below NE.,e
tcs Ing on the water. According 10 Il; yi3i.
their ordinary food is fish, and they even
capture salmon in the SEA. This, how.
cveg, have never had conSrmed by the
Grecnlanders, who all consider thGt the
LS3r% powers ci swiamia; wnu,l sni bc
clcal to it, According @ the >a,ar an
;hority. neither reindeer, foxes unr binds
are safe from the polar bear. bul this,
think. is mistake. Nature LIS ilicuicd
that It should seek It's prey in the waivt
and on tA.' ice rather than On the land
When really hrn~y. there air Few
things waich byur wi tcirci. down
to old skin garments and tarrcd ropes
ends, which may sometimes hc found in
its stomach. II is under such circum.
stances that /, ventures clcSc To tie tuts
and drvourS whatever il can find. Sn,,!t.
times even attempting 10 enter. In t'c
winter OF lS9i.I bear was shot at Grl-
haven, with the whole Of the fore pant
Of the body in an oil caSk. which il was
licking In the Julianshaab district it is
not unusual for these animals to visit the
Greenlanders' provision stores waete
they keep their dried s,als fcsl. exc.
tear the stones away from the entrance
and clear the place completely out
London Field