CUSTOM IS LAW. 3?3 



The law in Sweden, it is true, does not give the title, yet 

 custom fully recognises a bear to be the property of the man 

 who first starts, or rather rings him, even should the beast 

 in his wanderings traverse the half of the province. 



There not being at this time more than a foot of snow 

 upon the ground, and as in consequence it would have been 

 idle attempting to run the bears down on Skidor, I deemed 

 it best to wait awhile before attacking them, in the hope of 

 a fresh fall of snow. 



Directing Elg, therefore, to look after the beasts, I myself 

 proceeded to Malung in Dalecarlia, in search of another bear, 

 of which I had obtained some intelligence; and some ten 

 days afterwards he rejoined me, and reported that he had 

 succeeded in ringing both of our bears, though at six or 

 seven miles apart. 



In the course of the next few days a good deal of snow 

 fell, and as no time was now to be lost, we set off on our 

 return to Wermeland. At Forss, the first post-station 

 beyond Malung, we diverged from the main road, and by 

 the Vinter-Vcig, or winter-route which, as the name would 

 imply, is only traversable at that season we crossed the 

 densely-wooded range of hills lying between the rivers Dal 

 and Clara. But though we started pretty early in the day, 

 and the distance was less than thirty miles, yet, from the 

 snow being in an unfavourable state for sledging, it was 

 several hours after dark before we fell down on the Clara. 

 This was near to the post-house of Persby ; and from 

 thence, taking a southerly course, we proceeded to the hamlet 

 of Amneryd, near to which the larger of the bears was 

 ringed, and which we made our quarters for the night. 



We had intended attacking the beasts on the following 



