280 PEASANT WOUNDED BY THE BEAR. 



to reload, I ran to the spot, and found the uproar to have 

 arisen from the old bear having attacked a peasant named 

 Sven Andersson. Though only armed with a stout stake, 

 this man, aided by two or three others, had gallantly opposed 

 the beast's attempts to break through the Cordon, and 

 though he himself was capsized, and a good deal maltreated, 

 he succeeded in driving the beast back again into the Ring. 



Fortunately the poor fellow was but slightly hurt, attri- 

 butable probably to the bear being herself severely wounded 

 when she charged. Unluckily, however, all his injuries were 

 in the after part of his person, so that many a laugh was 

 subsequently raised at his expense. But Sven stoutly denied 

 that he had bolted, which, indeed, was not likely for had he 

 run, there is little doubt, from the disabled state of the bear, 

 that he might readily have got out of the way. 



Finding that no serious harm was done, and leaving a 

 person in charge of the Hall, I now made the best of my 

 way along the line to Jan Finne, to ascertain how matters 

 stood with his division. From him I learnt the disagreeable 

 intelligence that the remaining young bear, in spite of every 

 effort to turn him, had broken the Cordon, and made his 

 escape ; though not unhurt, as was evident from the blood 

 observable on the few patches of snow still remaining on the 

 ground. 



This was far from the worst part of the business ; for 

 whilst the bear was in the very act of breaking the line, one 

 of the peasants most incautiously fired, when instead of the 

 ball taking effect on the beast's carcase, it lodged in the 

 thigh of one of his companions. 



The poor man, however, was apparently not very seriously 

 hurt, and, in spite of the wound, managed, with assistance, 



