1 



22 M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 



the poor bear apprehended danger. After getting 1 on a de- 

 tached piece of ice, she again clasped her young ones with 

 the greatest tenderness, and continued her heart-melting cries! 

 In about ten minutes, another party,* not subject to the same 

 correct sensibility as the former, went in pursuit of her. Im- 

 mediately on observing this, she again took her young on her 

 back ; one time, getting under water, at another, escaping to 

 the ice for refuge. When the party had got within a snort 

 distance of her, they all fired. TJie mother, however, had 

 covered her young cubs so effectually, that she alone was 

 wounded ; one of the balls entered her chest. The scene 

 that followed was, if possible, still more affecting than that 

 we had already witnessed. 



Though mortally wounded, she retained within her fond 

 embraces her tender young. It looked as though the iron 

 grasp of death could not tear asunder those ties of affection 

 which bound her to them. Still she would fondly gaze at 

 one, then at another, occasionally renewing her piteous cries, 

 which had now become much more feeble. But the purple 

 current of life was ebbing fast through the wound : her sides 

 heaved her eye became glassy and dim she looked at her 

 young ones gave a convulsive sob laid down her head, and 

 expired ! f 



After this, they had no difficulty in taking the young cubs. 

 They in vain, however, endeavoured to loose them from their 

 parent's embraces. Even while dragging her up the side of 

 the vessel, they still kept their hold. When they had got her 

 on board, she was immediately skinned. J When the skin 

 was removed, they put it into the cage which had been pre- 

 pared for the young cubs. As they roared most hideously 

 from the time they were torn from the mother, we were in hopes 

 that this might pacify them ; and it did so : it was no sooner 

 introduced, than they laid their heads down on it, and growled 

 in a very affecting manner. When any one attempted to 

 touch it, they roared very loud, and appeared much more irrit- 



* It might be added, of monsters in the shape of men, or human savages ! 

 EDITOR. 



f The monsters engaged in this transaction merit the torments of the 

 damned the curses of men and the vengeance of an insulted Deity. 

 EDITOR. 



J On examining the wound, I found the ball had passed through the arch 

 of the aorta, and had lodged in the intercostal muscles of the opposite side. 

 I cut out the parts, and immersed them in a bottle filled with spirits ; "but 

 one of the crew, an unfortunate Irishman, got hold of it in some way or 

 other, and being fonder of whiskey than morbid anatomy, drank the fluid 

 in which I had^them preserved, and thus .spoiled my preparation. 



