THE WHITE BEAR. 439 
famished, they even avoid meeting them; but if provoked, or 
obliged to defend themselves, the combat may prove dangerous 
to the assailants; on this account, the bears are greatly dreaded 
by small boats. Yet it is asserted that these animals are not really 
so brave as one would be inclined to suppose, and that they quickly 
desert the field of battle when they feel themselves wounded. 
A whaling vessel was once blocked in by the ice in Davis’ 
Straits, on the coast of Labrador. A white bear approached 
within a few yards of the ship. A sailor was tempted to attack 
it alone, while his comrades were at dinner. He got down 
upon the ice, armed with a javelin, and ran to the animal. The 
bear did not retreat, but disarmed his feeble enemy, seized him 
by the middle of the back, and bore him off so swiftly that it 
was impossible to rescue him. 
Another whaler was lying off the coast of Greenland, moored 
to an iceberg. The sailors saw a bear a long way off, watching 
for some seals. One of the men, whose courage had been warmed 
by a strong dose of rum, took it into his head to go and attack 
this formidable animal. -No remonstrance could cool his warlike 
ardour, and he set out across the snow with no other weapon 
than a harpoon. After a tedious run of half an hour over the 
broken ice and crisp frozen snow, he suddenly found himself face 
to face with Bruin. His run had worked off the valorous ardour 
inspired by the fiery rum, and for a moment he wished himself 
back at the ship. But the thought of the jeers with which his 
comrades would greet him, made him hesitate before he took 
to his heels. However, with a loud growl, the bear came towards 
him. The huge lank monster, with his white glistening teeth 
contrasting with the black skin of the mouth, was much too 
terrible to be attacked with a small harpoon. The bravery of 
the sailor vanished, and in hot haste he beat a retreat. The bear, 
being more accustomed to a journey on ice than his enemy, easily 
gained on him.. In his hope to escape, the sailor threw away 
the harpoon. The bear’s curiosity being excited, he stopped to 
examine the weapon, turning it over with his paws, and_ biting 
it. This gave the sailor time to put some distance between them, 
but his advantage was soon lost. However, he had learnt a 
lesson, and flung away one of his mittens. This occupied the 
