28 ANIMAL SKETCHES. CHAP. 



few paces, looked again behind her, and for some time 

 stood moaning ; but still the cubs not rising to follow her, 

 she returned to them again ; and with signs of inexpres- 

 sible fondness went round pawing them, and moaning. 

 Finding at last that they were cold and lifeless, she raised 

 her head towards the ship, and uttered a growl of despair, 

 which the murderers returned with a volley of musket- 

 balls. She fell between her cubs, and died licking their 

 wounds." Oh ! 'tis sometimes gay sport that of the 

 hunter ! 



Nor is it so very long ago that people in England used 

 to throng to see the " merry disport " of baiting the bear, 

 the proceedings on which occasions were of so orderly, 

 quiet, and respectable a character that the word " bear- 

 garden " has become proverbial. The bear was fastened 

 behind, and then worried by great English bull-dogs; 

 " but not without great risk to the dogs ; and it some- 

 times happens they are killed upon the spot ; fresh ones 

 are however immediately supplied in the place of those 

 that are wounded or tired." The onlookers used to stand 

 on scaffolds hounding on the dogs by their cries, and 

 betting eagerly on their favourites ; and they were told 

 that they ''must not account for any pleasant spectacle 

 unless they pay one penny at the gate, another at the 

 entry of the scaffold, and a third for quiet standing." 

 Let us be thankful that such " pleasant pastimes " and 

 " merry disports " are now matters of the past. To hunt 

 the bear in the open forest may be noble sport ; but to 

 bait poor Bruin in a bear-garden seems to us nowadays 

 contemptible. 



Mr. Lloyd, in his Northern Field Sports and Scandi- 

 navian Adventures, describes at length the method of 

 hunting the bear in Norway and Sweden. If it be winter 

 the first, proceeding is (or was) to " ring the bear." This 



