AFFECTION FOR THEIR YOUNG. 263 



people, or makes most serious demonstrations of her readi- 

 ness to do so. 



One of my Wermeland comrades named Graberg, a tall 

 powerful man, was a few years ago thus beset by a she-bear, 

 and though the beast did not actually assault him, her atti- 

 tude was so threatening, that he durst neither advance nor 

 retreat, and for several hours was kept pinned to the same 

 spot ; but he shall tell his own story. 



"On the morning of the 12th of May, 1845," so he 

 wrote me, " I was in the forest between Munkforss and the 

 lake Skiirgen, for the purpose of shooting hares. One of the 

 dogs began to bay in a sharp quick manner as if at people 

 or cattle. I ran in haste towards the spot, supposing it to 

 be a poacher visiting my Tjader-lek (the spot where the 

 Capercali carry on their amours in the spring), which was 

 situated on the western side of a pretty high eminence thickly 

 covered both with brushwood and timber trees. On reaching 

 the summit of the hill, I heard an extraordinary cry over- 

 head, and on looking up, observed two young bears squatted 

 amongst the upper branches of a lofty spruce-pine, but I was 

 ignorant of the presence of the mother. I had no balls, but 

 immediately fired both barrels loaded with shot, though 

 without bringing them down. I commenced reloading with 

 all possible rapidity, but had only put in the powder, when I 

 saw the old bear rushing towards me at the top of her speed. 

 When, however, she had approached to within about twelve 

 feet of the spot where I stood, she, with her forepaws placed 

 on a great fir log, suddenly halted, and set up an awful 

 roaring. In fear and trembling I continued recharging my 

 gun, during which time she slowly retreated out of view ; but 

 three or four minutes afterwards I again observed her as she 



