312 FEROCITY OF THE BEAR. 



" Before the Skall was brought so near to a conclusion, 

 that the bears could with any certainty be kept within the 

 lines, an enormously large bear attempted to break through 

 the Dref. After he had received several balls, one of which 

 carried away his two lowermost fangs, together with part of 

 the jaw-bone itself, and another that passed through the 

 upper part of his thigh, he rushed with an unwonted degree 

 of fury on the people ; and notwithstanding their very 

 gallant opposition, he attacked one man after the other, so 

 that, almost at the same time, he wounded no less than six 

 individuals two of the number so badly, indeed, that they 

 had to be borne from the field. He then broke through the 

 line, and for the time escaped. 



" A young Jagare observing this, and by taking a more 

 direct course than the bear > succeeded in intercepting him ; 

 but in attempting to fire, his gun would not go off, on which 

 the beast forthwith charged and laid him prostrate ; and 

 whilst with his fore paws, placed over the poor fellow's 

 shoulders, he pressed him to the earth, he not only scalped 

 the half of his head, but inflicted no less than thirty-seven 

 wounds on his body. Had the man been lying on his 

 back instead of his face, and that the lower fangs of the 

 bear had not been previously shot away, he must inevitably 

 have been killed. Although there were many spectators to 

 the tragedy, there was no one present who had the means of 

 rendering assistance. So soon as the man remained perfectly 

 motionless, however, the bear left him of his own accord, and 

 retreated. 



" An unusual murmur, indicative of distress, coupled with 

 cries and lamentations, caused me to hurry to the spot. My 

 first care was to have the sufferers (after that their wounds 



