SEAR HUNTING. 213 



day. There are two ways of approaching them. When 

 the wind is blowing on shore, the sportsman must stalk 

 them from the land side ; when the wind is off shore the 

 better way is to paddle up to them. 



" Shooting bears out of a canoe requires some practice 

 on the part of the shooter, and considerable skill on that of 

 the canoe-men. Bruin does not mind a canoe in the least, 

 so long as the wind is in the right direction, and lie can 

 see no sudden movement of the paddles. Wary in the 

 extreme about any unusual appearance or sound on the 

 land side, he never expects danger seaward. He looks back 

 over his shoulder along the beach, peers into the bush, 

 and now and then stops for a good sniff to windward ; but 

 he is so accustomed to see seals, floating ice, and drift- 

 wood, that he never looks out for an enemy in that 

 direction, and takes no notice of a skilfully handled canoe. 

 Crouching down, with nothing visible but our heads, I have 

 been paddled to within 30 yards of a bear. The canoe-men 

 never take their eyes off him. When he feeds or looks 

 away, with noiseless but vigorous strokes they propel the 

 light craft swiftly towards him. When he looks up they 

 are still as statues. A charge of buckshot at 30 yards 

 is always fatal. I cut down two bears in great style with 

 a large No. 6-bore single-barrel that I brought with me 

 for goose shooting, charge 8 drachms powder and thirty 

 buckshot one at a distance of 55 yards. In bear shoot- 

 ing, even more than in other large game shooting, the 

 sportsman should always wait for a broadside shot, and 

 aim 6 inches or 8 inches behind the shoulder, and rather 

 better than half-way up. Ordinary prudence ought to 

 prevent a man from going too close to a crippled or dying 

 bear, or indeed to any other powerful animal ; but I have 



