ROYAL SKALLS. 321 



" At this small winter Skall, which was organized by me 

 for his Majesty, a large she-bear, and a somewhat smaller 

 she-bear, were shot by the King's own high hand. His 

 Majesty also wounded a male bear, which was afterwards 

 worried to death by the dogs. 



" All these three bears lay in an Ihdligt Stengrope that is, 

 in a deep cavity, amongst a mass of fragments of rocks ; for 

 which reason they were, in the first instance, passed alto- 

 gether by the driving division of the Skall. As, however, 

 the peasant, when ringing the beasts, noticed the direction 

 they had taken, and knew where they were, it was graciously 

 ordered, that either by blank shots, or otherwise, they should 

 be driven out from their place of concealment. But as firing 

 had not the desired effect, one of the attendants, provided 

 with a stake, resolved on creeping into the hole and dis- 

 lodging them; and when the beasts became aware of his 

 presence, they all three, in forcing their way out of the hole, 

 sprang over his body, though without doing him the slightest 

 injury." 



No. 7. "Bear Skall, 10th of December, 1720, in the 

 forest of Norsjo, and parish of Lofsta, Westmanland. 



"At this Skall, arranged by me for the King, a capital 

 bear was shot by his Majesty ; the beast was dead within 

 eighteen minutes from its commencement." 



No. 8. "Elk Skall, 30th of December, 1721, in the 

 forest of Budkarby, and parish of Nora. Circumference of 

 the Ring, six thousand eight hundred and ninety-two paces. 



" On the 26th of December, by means of an express from 

 the royal court, I received gracious orders to ascertain, either 

 in the parishes of Wahla, or Harbo, or in that of Nora, 

 where some elks were to be found ; the King, then on his 



VOL. i. Y 



