438 THE WORLD OF THE SEA. 
pelago. It has happened that they have been borne along to the 
open sea upon an iceberg, and, being unable to get to land © 
or to leave their island, they have died of hunger or devoured 
each other. 
This animal is more terrible than the Alpine bear. The 
strength of its jaw is such that it has been known to bite in two 
a bar of iron half an inch thick. When a bear lands on an island 
with a scattered population, he attacks flocks, and even their 
owners, with ferocity. He strangles and devours all that is so 
unfortunate as to come in his way; and will even sacrilegiously 
rob a graveyard, where the corpses, preserved by the cold, furnish 
him an abundant meal. 
“Rien n’est stir en son passage, 
Ce qwil trouve il le ravage.” 
On the appearance of a white bear in Iceland, the inhabitants 
assemble to fight the depredator, and to protect the cattle. The 
coasts of Greenland are most exposed to the invasions of these 
rapacious animals. Captain Scoresby saw so many on these shores 
that he compared them to flocks of sheep. 
Some years ago, three young hunters, who were spending the 
winter together in Labrador, left their hut to go and look at 
some traps they had set in the forest. On their return, they were 
astonished to find the door of their hut torn down and laid 
upon the snow. At first they thought that some neighbour 
had played them a trick in their absence. Everything was 
turned topsy-turvy ; the stove and the chimney were on the 
floor; the cupboard empty; the store of bacon gone; the sack 
of flour had disappeared; even a tin cup, a paletot, and a 
pair of boots were taken. There had been robbery and burglary. 
The three young men set out in quest of the robber or robbers. 
They searched, and discovered that all this destruction had been 
committed by two white bears. At a little distance from the 
hut they found the sack empty and torn; a little further lay 
the cup, bearing the marks of strong teeth. As for the cloak 
and boots, the thieves had carried them off! 
White bears do not usually attack men; unless they are 
