SKALL NEAR TO GILLERMYREN. 309 



various ineffectual attempts to discharge, all but touched the 

 breech of the beast. Nalle, becoming at length enraged, 

 turned on his assailant, whom he seized by the calf of the 

 leg, and threw to the ground, and then laid himself at 

 length, and with all his weight, on the body of his victim. 

 The man now used every effort to draw his knife, that he 

 might cut the throat of the beast; but from the weapon 

 being deposited in his undermost pocket, he found this to 

 be impracticable. The poor fellow was therefore necessitated 

 to wait patiently until assistance arrived, when the death 

 )f the bear relieved him from his disagreeable and heavy 

 >urthen. Happily, beyond the wound in his leg, and the 

 effects of the squeeze to which he had been subjected, the 

 escaped farther injury." 



" Great Summer Skall near to Gillermyren, in the parish 

 of Rada, and Elfdahls Harad. 



" The Skall-plats, or area embraced by the hunt, was 

 some fourteen miles in length ; its breadth, where the hunt 

 commenced, nearly seven miles; and about two where it 

 terminated. 



" It was near sunset before the Dref had neared its desti- 

 nation ; when, at one and the same time, six large bears 

 came strackande, or driving, some following tKe long, 

 narrow morass, and others the side of it. Five of the beasts 

 were shot within an hour. The sixth, which was badly 

 wounded, and when it was dusk, rushed at a pikeman, 

 who received him on the point of his weapon ; but the 

 shaft of the spear breaking, the beast seized hold of the 

 poor fellow's head with his claws, and tore off the skin and 

 hair from the nape of the neck to the forehead, so that 



