SOME OUTDOOR SPORTS. 105 



their hopes of a fine meal of bear 

 flesh. 



It is no uncommon event for a polar 

 bear to prowl along the ice-floes of the 

 sea-coast, which is its favorite walk, until 

 it finally stumbles on an Eskimo village ; 

 and if the dogs see it or smell it, it is 

 very apt to be brought to bay near by, 

 and then killed by some of the native 

 hunters who have been alarmed by the 

 noise and outcry. A fair fight on the 

 open ice with a large polar bear is some- 

 what dangerous, for if severely wounded 

 it may tear the hunter to pieces. The 

 Eskimo seldom wound any dangerous 

 animals, for, being a very brave people, 

 that is, personally brave they gener- 

 ally go so close that, unless some 

 accident with the fire-arms happens, 

 the animal, whether it is bear or 



