1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 279 



than is sufficient to load a musket four or five times; 

 and what is more material, if the bear be not ren- 

 dered incapable of pursuit by the first shot, the con- 

 sequences are often fatal. He immediately makes 

 toward the place from whence the noise and smoke 

 issue, and attacks his adversaries with great fury. It 

 is impossible for them to reload, as the animal is 

 seldom at more than twelve or fifteen yards distance 

 when he is fired at : so that, if he does not fall, they 

 immediately put themselves in a posture to receive 

 him upon their spears ; and their safety greatly de- 

 pends on their giving him a mortal stab, as he first 

 comes upon them. If he parries the thrust (which, 

 by the extraordinary strength and agility of their 

 paws, they are often enabled to do), and thereby 

 breaks in upon his adversaries, the conflict becomes 

 very unequal, and it is well if the life of one of the 

 party alone suffice to pay the forfeit. 



There are two seasons of the year when this diver- 

 sion, or occupation as it may be rather called, is more 

 particularly dangerous : in the spring, when the 

 bears first come forth, after having subsisted, as is 

 universally asserted here, on sucking their paws 

 through the winter ; and especially if the frost 

 happen to be severe, and the ice not to be broken up 

 in the lake at that time, by which means they are 

 deprived of their ordinary and expected food. Under 

 these circumstances they soon become exceedingly 

 famished, and fierce and savage in proportion. They 

 will pursue the natives by the scent; and, as they 

 now prowl about out of their usual tracks, frequently 

 come upon them unawares ; and when this happens, 

 as the Kamtschadales have not the smallest notion of 

 shooting flying, nor even at an animal running, or in 

 any way except with their piece on a rest, the bear- 

 hunters often fall a sacrifice to their hunger. The 

 other season in which it is dangerous to come in their 

 way, is at the time of their copulation, which is ge- 

 nerally about this time of the year. 



t 4 



