296 SMALL SIZE OF RING. 



killed to the wounded, is, in fact, very much less than 

 the returns show after a general action. And what is 

 singular, this rule would seem to hold good even with the 

 lord of the desert ; for African travellers tell me, that the 

 lion maltreats infinitely more people than he actually slays. 



Amongst several of my acquaintance who suffered from 

 the ferocity of bears, was the late M. Ullgren, inspector 

 of the iron-works at Rammen, in Wermeland. He was 

 wounded by a large she-bear, of which I myself, after shooting 

 two of her supposed progeny, had been in search only a 

 week or two previously. But he shall tell his own story. 



" The hunt commenced about two miles to the south of 

 a lake called Lof-sjon. The first day I had sixteen men, as 

 also a Rygg-varn that is, an individual on whom reliance 

 could be placed to guard my person. In several instances I 

 was within a few paces of the bear, but owing to the 

 denseness of the cover was unable to fire. 



" On the following morning our party was increased to 

 twenty-five, but several small boys were included in the 

 number. I now performed, so to say, a sort of miracle, 

 having made so small a Ring around the bear, that even our 

 little force was sufficient to encompass him ; but the small- 

 ness of the circle had this disadvantage, that from not being 

 more than one hundred to one hundred and fifty paces in 

 diameter, we were in consequence exposed to great danger, 

 for every bullet whistled about our ears. 



" Near to the centre of the Ring was a close brake, wherein 

 the bear took refuge. I was there myself more than once 

 for the purpose of dislodging him ; and several random shots 

 were also fired into it with the like object : but still he would 

 not leave his retreat. After a while, however, he was seen, 



