SKALL NEAR MUKELSTORP. 307 



the shoulders of his new antagonist ; whilst the man, on his 

 part, seized the heast by the ears, and the shaggy portion of 

 his hide thereabouts. The bear, greatly weakened by loss of 

 blood, and his opponent a man of uncommon strength, whilst 

 thus grappling with each other, twice fell to the ground 

 together, and again resumed an upright position, without 

 either letting go his hold of his adversary. During the 

 fearful struggle, both arms of the man were severely bitten 

 above the wrist. At first, the bear was only enabled to 

 reach the upper part of the man's body with his claws ; 

 >ut now that the poor fellow was greatly exhausted, and 

 10 longer able to keep him at a distance, the jaws of the 

 beast all but embraced his throat. At this critical moment 

 I luckily reached the spot, and quickly put an end to the very 

 unequal combat. 



" Both of the wounded men were subsequently conveyed 

 to Risater ; and though the cure was slow, they eventually 

 recovered. To this day, however, the nose of the one is 

 deeply scarred, and the arms of the other have never re- 

 gained their proper strength." 



" Winter Bear Skall, near to Mukelstorp, in the parish of 

 Sunne, the 15th of April, 1817. 



Four bears a female with three yearling cubs were 

 listurbed from their winter quarters and ringed. When the 

 season is far advanced, these beasts seldom remain stationary 

 each of their new lairs for more than a few hours together ; 

 ind I therefore considered myself lucky in encircling them on 

 the day mentioned. Fine weather and yodt Skar-fore* 



* Skare signifies a crust on the surface of the snow ; godt Skar-fore, that 

 the crust is sufficiently hard frozen to support man or beast, 



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