468 THE GERMAN AKCTIC EXPEDITION. 



cousin in Europe lives in luxury compared with him, and 

 is comparatively to be envied. 



In the early part of the year the layer of fat, which 

 lies under the skin in the summer and autumu, quite 

 fails. A large male bear, killed near the ship on the 1st of 

 April, 1870, was dreadfully lean ; while a female bear, shot 

 on Sabine Island, the 7th of July, 1870, was rather fat. 



With regard to the much agitated question as to 

 whether the bear hybernates, we could make no direct 

 observation. But we can say at what time of year we 

 saw them. On the 10th of January, 1870, one came to the 

 ship, and we hunted him, but he escaped ; on the 13th 

 of January, 1870, Theodore Klentzer was pursued by one ; 

 on the Gth of March, Dr. Borgen was attacked by another ; 

 afterwards they visited us daily. When I add that Cope- 

 land fought with one near Cape Borlase Warren, on the 

 28th of October, 1 869, one may easily see that their winter 

 sleep, if they have any, must either be very short or very 

 disturbed. On the 9th of March we saw a bear in a storm, 

 wandering about with powerful strides, and seeming to 

 think nothing of the bad weather, although a man, pro- 

 tected by the best of clothes, could scarcely have moved 

 from the spot. 



The bear which we shot on the 1st of April, about 300 

 steps from the ship, cost us the greatest exertions to 

 drag away against the north wind. 



The smell of burnt fat draws the creatures from miles 

 round. In their wanderings they climb high groups of 

 ice, and one can sometimes see them looking far out, 

 with their snouts in the air, smelling for food. The 

 Esquimaux often catch them by it, — a manoeuvre, which 

 requires cleverness and self-possession : and many of them 



