308 SKALL NEAR TO THE LAKE KNON. 



greatly facilitated my operations. About eleven o'clock A.M., 

 by which time the Dref had advanced very considerably, and 

 whilst standing at the foot of a declivity, all the four bears 

 came directly towards me. The two foremost I had the good 

 fortune to kill with my two rifles. The other two imme- 

 diately wheeled about, and made for the opposite side of the 

 Ring, where they were received with a lively Jagare-eld 

 meaning a running fire extending along the whole line, and 

 soon also met their doom. Within a quarter of an hour of 

 the first shot, all the four bears were placed in a heap. At 

 the toasts, drunk commemorative of our success, the bloody 

 pile served instead of tables and chairs, for the more distin- 

 guished of the individuals present." 



" Great Summer Skall, near to the lake Knon, in the 

 parish of Eksharad, 1 6th of June, 1818. 



" The considerable ravages committed by wild beasts in 

 this district, rendered a summer Skall necessary, and one 

 accordingly took place. But when the circle was contracted 

 to within the smallest possible compass consistent with the 

 safety of the men, without a bear showing himself, I 

 almost came to the conclusion there were none within 

 the Ring, and was therefore about dismissing the people to 

 their homes. Whilst this point was under discussion, how- 

 ever, two of those beasts both of very large size suddenly 

 rushed upon us. One of them I was so lucky as to 

 shoot myself. The other bear headed about and dashed at 

 the opposite line, where he was immediately received with a 

 very heavy fire, and badly wounded : to that degree, indeed, 

 that a Jagare was enabled to follow him along the line so 

 very closely, that the muzzle of his gun, which he made 



