290 THE POLAR BEAR. Chap. XVII. 



two cubs at some distance (perhaps a couple of miles) 

 inland ; the mother diligently turning over loose rocks 

 which strewed the plain, and the cubs watching the oppor- 

 tunity to rush in and seize the unlucky lemmings which were 

 thus dislodged, and tossing them up in the air in their wan- 

 tonness ; after repeating this operation until they must have 

 made a tolerable meal, the dam seated herself on her haunches 

 in a convenient posture for her purpose, and the young ones 

 suckled in a standing position. But the lemmings were 

 speedily avenged, for Osborn shot the whole of this interest- 

 ing family. 



An officer, on ascending a tall cliff to obtain an extensive 

 view over the frozen sea, found a contemplative old bear 

 sitting there ; fortunately he was completely absorbed in 

 watching for seals to appear on the ice, and the officer — 

 being unarmed — tells us " that he came down much faster 

 than he went up." Another officer, evidently on his first 

 sledging journey, looks out of his tent and sees a young 

 bear about ten yards off quietly devouring some pemmican 

 which had been left upon the sledge ; his first shot " takes 

 effect over the left eye, taking the eye and a piece of the 

 skull with it;" the bear falls, but is only stunned for the 

 moment, jumps up, and runs off " at full trot ; " a second 

 shot breaks his hind leg, but he only trots faster than before ; 

 a third bullet " passes through his neck, and sends him off 

 at full gallop ! " At length, exhausted from loss of blood, 

 this most unlucky young bear lies down, and a fourth bullet 

 despatches him by passing through his heart. Only a novice 

 would have aimed at the head, which is a very massive 

 structure, or at the whole bear ; the vital region is just behind 

 the fore-shoulder. 



It has happened that one of these animals, more inquisi- 

 tive or more hungry than usual, actually looked into a tent, 

 and threw the party into such confusion that they pulled the 



