300 HEAR HUNT. 



sprung over the very mouth of the den itself without show- 

 ing symptoms of finding anything ; and as besides, the den 

 had been unoccupied during the three preceding winters, the 

 hunters never conceiving it possible that it was tenanted, 

 they were incautious enough to go close up to it without first 

 taking the precaution of divesting the guns of their cases, or 

 even of priming them. 



Whilst, however, Thomasson was peering under the root, 

 and probably from his long Skidor* causing the bear dis- 



* A kind of snow-skate, the nature of which will be readily understood by 

 reference to the several illustrations in this work descriptive of bear shooting 

 in the winter time. In "Wermeland and Dalecarlia, the Skida for the left foot 

 is usually from nine to eleven, or even twelve feet in length ; whilst that for 

 the right seldom exceeds six to seven. This inequality of length is to enable 

 a person to wheel about, in a manner difficult to describe in writing, with 

 greater facility ; as well as that, when in broken or bad ground, he may lean 

 the whole of his weight, if necessary, upon the shorter Skida, which is 

 constructed of stouter materials. The usual breadth of the Skidor in the 

 provinces named, is between two and three inches. In parts of Lapland, 

 Finland, and Norway, those that I have seen are much broader, and also of 

 equal length, which seldom exceeds six or seven feet. The foremost ends of 

 all Skidor are cons'derably turned up, to enable a person to avoid any little 

 impediment with which he may happen to come in contact. They are fastened 

 to the foot with withes, or with leathern straps, in so simple a manner, that a 

 minute or less will suffice either to put them on or take them off. A pair may 

 weigh from ten to fifteen pounds. The weight, however, is of the less conse- 

 quence, as it rarely happens that one is necessitated to carry them. In very 

 mountainous districts, the under part of the Skidor of the shorter one, at 

 least is often covered, either wholly, or in part, with seal or other skin ; this 

 in a great degree prevents a person from retrograding when ascending a steep 

 acclivity. Unless the snow is in an unfavourable state, they are never lifted 

 from the ground ; the motion is of a gliding nature, and, excepting as regards 

 rapidity, something similar to that of the skate in common use in England. 

 In some instances, a person carries a single stick in his hand ; in others, one 

 in each hand. These serve to impel him forward, and also to retard his 

 progress (which he effects by pressing the stick upon the snow) when too 

 rapidly descending a hill. 



