NORTHERN OCEAN. 
Jakes we crofled that day were in aftonifhing 
multitudes*. 
The method by which the Bears catch thofe in- 
fects is by {wimming with their mouths open, in 
the fame manner as the whales do, when feeding 
on the fea-fpider. There was not one of the 
Bears killed that day, which had not its ftemach 
as full of thofe infects (only) as ever a hog’s was 
with grains, and when cut open, the ftench from 
them was intolerable. I have, however, eaten of 
fome killed at that early feafon which were very 
good; but they were found among the woods, 
far from the places where thofe infects haunt, and 
had fed on grafs and other herbage. After the 
middle of July, when the berries begin to ripen, 
they are excellent eating, and fo continue till Ja- 
nuary or February following; but late in the 
Spring they are, by long fafting, very poor and 
dry eating. 
The Southern Indians kill great numbers of 
thofe Bears at all feafons of the year; but no en- 
couragement can prevent them from tingeing al- 
Bb 2 moft 
* The infects here {poken of are of twokinds; the one is nearly black, 
its fkin hard like a beetle, and not very unlike a grafshopper, and darts 
through the water with great eafe, and with fome degree of velocity. The 
other fort is brown, has wings, and isas foft as the common cleg-fly. The 
latter are the moft numerous; and in fome of the lakes fuch quantities of 
them are forced into the bays in gales of wind, and there prefled together 
in fuch multitudes, that they are killed, and remain there a great nui- 
fance; for I have feveral times, in my inland voyages from York Fort, 
found it f{carcely poffible to land in fome of thofe bays for the intolerable 
ftench of thofe infects, which in fome places were lying in putrid mafles to 
the depth of two or three feet. It is more than probable, that the Bear. 
- occafionally feed on thefe dead infeéts, 
37% 
