DEATH OF THE BEARS. 365 



somewhat in the rear of the hole) were in the first instance 

 altogether ineffectual. Neither did the bear, by growl, or 

 other angry demonstration, intimate his presence. 



Becoming somewhat tired of this child's play, Elg at 

 length advanced to the front of the hole, apparently in 

 considerable ire (so at least it was to be inferred from his 

 ejaculation, " Tjugu Tusen Djeflar !" which literally inter- 

 preted, means twenty thousand devils), when directing the 

 stake slantingly, so as to reach the aforesaid chamber, out 

 immediately rushed not only one bear, but three the 

 mother, and her two well-grown cubs and that, moreover, 

 like so many projectiles from Perkins's steam- gun. I fired 

 on the instant, and the old bear fell dead. One of the 

 cubs went off unscathed, the other badly wounded. 



Reloading and resuming our Skidor, we gave chase to 

 the wounded cub, with which, from its being hard pressed 

 by the dogs, we soon came up, when a bullet quickly put a 

 period to its miseries. 



But the other cub gave us somewhat more trouble ; for it 

 being mid-day, and the temperature somewhat mild, the 

 snow became kram* and fastened to the Skidor, so that our 

 progress was greatly retarded. A shot, however, fired some- 

 what at random, taking effect in its leg, at length partially 

 disabled the beast. On attempting to reload, ammunition 

 was wanting, my spare powder-horn having been left with 

 the kit, which, to facilitate his movements, Elg had left on 

 the knoll. Had it been a large bear of which we were in 

 chase, here was a predicament to be placed in ! But in 

 this instance the loss of my powder-horn was attended 



* Kram (probably from the word krama, to squeeze) signifies that the snow 

 is no longer in a grainy state, but has become adhesive squeezable into a snow- 

 ball, for instance. 



