302 HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE. 



first of these clays we saw, on a floating cake of ice, a, 

 large female and two stalwart cubs, for whom she was 

 fishing, diving for the prey, and bringing it up almost 

 every time to her hungry offspring. Suddenly she made 

 a bolder plunge mto the waves, and then began a wild 

 struo-crle with some larsrer foe. We hurried forward to 

 see what it could be, guided by the breaking of ice, the, 

 spouting of the water, and the tremendous noise which 

 the contestants made. The bear bayed like a dog, and 

 gnashed her teeth with rage, seeming unable to land her 

 prey. All at once we caught sight of what it was, — a 

 seal, — which just then threw itself bodily out of the 

 water, and lifting its weight upon its tail and hind flippers, 

 tried to bite the terrible fisherman. I ordered my men 

 to loose a dog that had been trained to this special work, 

 and off he tore like a shot. Menaced thus from behind, 

 the bear turned upon this new enemy, and allow^ed the 

 seal to slip quietly into the water and escape. The dog 

 stood a few^ paces off, and tried by barking and constant 

 movement to distract the bear's attention, and turn it 

 to his advantage ; but the old lady was too quick for 

 him, and moved with surprising agility for so large a 

 body. Not content with this policy of defence she slowly 

 advanced toward the furious dog, now grown careless of 

 his own safety, and, when almost upon him, gave a heavy 

 spring, and crushed him like an egg-shell beneath her 

 enormous weight. We were still too far off to help the 

 poor creature, and as any advance was slow^ over the 



