208 LETTER XXXIV. 



again wounded. This served only to increase its fury. 

 It presently swam to the boat/ and, attempting to 

 board, reached its fore paw upon the gunnel ;*but one 

 of thex^rew having a hatchet, cut it off. The animal, 

 however, still continued to swim after them until they 

 arrived at the ship, although several shots were fired, 

 which also took effect. But on reaching the ship, it 

 immediately ascended the deck. The crew having 

 then fled into the shrouds, it was pursuing them thi- 

 ther, when a shot at last laid it dead. Such an in- 

 stance of ferocious resolution is not, perhaps, to be found 

 in any other of the quadruped race. It will not, in- 

 deed, hesitate to attack a party of armed men, and 

 has scarcely ever been known to retreat at the sight 

 of any cLngc-r. 



The attachment of this animal to its young is pot 

 less remarkable than its determined courage. .The 

 white bear will rather die than desert its offspring. 

 When wounded and dying, it embraces its cubs to tHe 

 very last moment of its existence, and when by any' 

 means deprived of them, bemoans the loss with the 

 most piteous cries. 



The sagacity evinced by these quadrupeds in- 

 searching for prey, is particularly worthy of atten- 

 tion. The. honorable Robert Boyle informs us, upon 

 the authority of a friend, that the smeil of the white 

 bears about Greenland, notwithstanding the sever-ity of 

 the climate, is extremely acute; and that sometimes 

 when the fishermen have left the carcase of a whale 

 floating on the sea, three or four leagues from the 

 shore, whence it could not be seen, these animals will 

 stand at the brink of the water, and, raising them- 

 selres on their hind logs, loudly snuff ui the air, and 

 ini.^it/as it were, against their snouts with their fore-, 

 paws, and when satisfied what point the odour comes 

 from, they will plunge into the sea, and swim direct- 

 ly towards the carcase. 



The flesh of this animal is white, and tastes like 

 mutton: its fat is melted into train oil; and from the 

 feet an oil is extracted, which is found of considera- 

 ble use in medicine. Thus, my dear Sir, you see that' 



