THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



07 



fierce and favage in proportion. They will purfue the na- '779- 

 tives by the fcent ; and, as they now prowl about out of J!!^L!i 

 their ufual tracks, frequently come upon them unawares ; 

 and when this happens, as the Kamtfchadales have not the 

 finallefl notion of mooting flying, nor even at an animal 

 running, or in any way except with their piece on a reft, 

 the bear-hunters often fall a facrifice to their hunger. The 

 other feafon in which it is dangerous to come in their way. 

 is at the time of their copulation, which is generally about 

 this time of the year. 



An extraordinary inftance of natural affection in thefe 

 animals hath been already mentioned. The chace affords a 

 variety of a fimilar nature, and not lefs affecting; many of 

 which were related to me. The Kamtfchadales derive great 

 advantage in hunting, from this circumftancc. They never 

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

 for, if the cub drop, fhe becomes enraged to a degree little 

 fhort of madnefs ; and if fhe get fight of the enemy, will 

 only quit her revenge with her life. On the contrary, if 

 the dam be fliot, the cubs will not leave her fide, even af- 

 ter fhe has been dead a long time ; but continue about her, 

 mewing, by a variety of affecting actions and geflures, marks 

 of the deepefl affliction, and thus become an cafy prey to the 

 hunters. 



Nor is the fagacity of the bears, if the Kamtfchadales are 

 to be credited, lefs extraordinary, or lefs worthy to be re- 

 marked, than their natural affection. Of this they have a 

 thoufand flories to relate. I fhall content myfelf with men- 

 tioning one inftance, which the natives fpeak of as a well- 

 known fact ; and that is, the ftratagem they have recourfe 

 to, in order to catch the barcins, which are confiderably 



R r 2 too 



