82 THE ARCTIC BEAR. Chap. VI. 



they abound here, — no geographical miles from the nearest 

 land, — upon very loose broken-up ice, which is steadily 

 drifting into the Atlantic at the rate of 12 or 14 miles daily ; 

 to remain upon it would insure their destruction were they 

 not nearly amphibious; they hunt by scent, and are con- 

 stantly running across and against the wind, which prevails 

 from the northward, so that the same instinct which directs 

 their search for prey, also serves the important purpose of 

 guiding them in the direction of the land and more solid 

 ice. 



I remarked that the upper part of both Bruin's fore-paws 

 were rubbed quite bare : Petersen explains that to surprise 

 the seal a bear crouches down with his fore-paws doubled 

 underneath, and pushes himself noiselessly forward with his 

 hinder legs until within a few yards, when he springs upon 

 the unsuspecting victim, whether in the water or upon the 

 ice. The Greenlanders are fond of bear's flesh, but never 

 eat either the heart or liver, and say that these parts cause 

 sickness. No instance is known of Greenland bears attack- 

 ing men, except when wounded or provoked ; they never 

 disturb the Esquimaux graves, although they seldom fail to 

 rob a cache of seal's flesh, which is a similar construction of 

 loose stones above ground. 



Petersen also tells me that a native of Upernivik, one 

 dark winter's day, was out visiting his seal-nets. He found 

 a seal entangled, and, whilst kneeling down over it upon the 

 ice to get it clear, he received a slap on the back — from his 

 companion as he supposed ; but a second and heavier blow 

 made him look smartly round. He was horror-stricken to 

 see a peculiarly grim old bear instead of his comrade ! 

 Without deigning further notice of the man, Bruin tore the 

 seal out of the net and commenced his supper. He was 

 not interrupted, nor did the man await the conclusion of the 

 meal. 



