DARING. 293 



" The clothes of the wounded boy were torn to rags, and 

 he himself sorely bitten, as well in both shoulders, as in the 

 thigh near to the hip, where he received a long and deep 

 wound, as also in the head, in which were several holes and 

 gashes ; but he is, nevertheless, now so far recovered as to 

 herd cattle as before. 



" ' What would you have done had the bear carried off 

 your cousin ?' was the question put to the younger lad 

 after the occurrence. * Then I myself should never have 

 returned home,' was his reply ; ' we should have shared 

 alike.' " 



Instances of great daring on the part of men when in 

 conflict with the bear, are also on record. 



" Observing a Laplander with only one eye," said Mr. 

 Dann, " I inquired how he had lost it. I was told in reply he 

 had discovered that a bear had made its winter domicile in 

 the cleft of a rock of some depth, but the entrance to which 

 was so confined, that it was impossible to penetrate into it, 

 excepting by crawling on one's hands and knees. Nothing 

 daunted, however, this brave fellow, pushing his pea-rifle 

 before him, and followed by a comrade bearing a light, 

 crept into the hole, at the extremity of which he perceived 

 the bear. The Lapp took deliberate aim and fired, but only 

 wounded him. The beast instantly rushed forwards ; but 

 so small was the hole, that finding he could not pass the 

 man, he began clawing his head and face. Thus beset, 

 the poor fellow, whilst protecting himself as well as he was 

 able with his pels* drew his knife, and with repeated stabs 



* A loose coat, or rather a sort of cloak, made of, or lined with furs of any 

 kind. In Lapland it more generally consists of the dressed skins of the young 

 rein-deer. 



