280 cook's voyage to sept. 



An extraordinary instance of natural affection in 

 these animals hath been already mentioned. The 

 chace affords a variety of a similar nature, and not 

 less affecting; many of which were related to me. 

 The Kamtschadales derive great advantage in hunt- 

 ing, from this circumstance. They never venture to 

 fire upon a young bear, when the mother is near : 

 for, if the cub drop, she becomes enraged to a de- 

 gree little short of madness ; and if she get sight of 

 the enemy, will only quit her revenge with her life. 

 On the contrary, if the dam be shot, the cubs will 

 not leave her side, even after she has been dead a 

 long time ; but continue about her, showing, by a 

 variety of affecting actions and gestures, marks of 

 the deepest affliction, and thus become an easy prey 

 to the hunters. 



Nor is the sagacity of the bears, if the Kantscha- 

 dales are to be credited, less extraordinary, or less 

 worthy to be remarked, than their natural affection. 

 Of this they have a thousand stones to relate. I 

 shall content myself with mentioning one instance, 

 which the natives speak of as a well-known fact ; and 

 that is, the stratagem they have recourse to, in order 

 to catch the bareins, which are considerably too swift 

 of foot for them. These animals keep together in 

 large herds ; they frequent mostly the low grounds, 

 and love to browse at the feet of rocks and pre- 

 cipices. The bear hunts them by scent till he come 

 in sight, when he advances warily, keeping above 

 them, and concealing himself amongst the rocks, as 

 he makes his approaches, till he gets immediately 

 over them, and nigh enough for his purpose. He 

 then begins to push down, with his paws, pieces of 

 the rock amongst the herd below. This manoeuvre 

 is not followed by any attempt to pursue, until he 

 h'nd he has maimed one of the flock, upon which a 

 course immediately ensues, that proves successful, 

 or otherwise, according to the hurt the barein has 

 received. 



