80 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCT 



I have, fortunately, been able to observe 

 on many occasions the manner in which bears 

 hunt seals. In 1905, when off the Greenland 

 ice-pack, I fired from the bridge at a female 

 bear roving along the edge of a floe, and wounded 

 without killing it. It disappeared into the 

 labyrinth formed by the hummocks. Fearing 

 lest I should lose my prey, I set off in pursuit 

 in a canoe accompanied by Recamier and 

 Merite. We landed, and while exploring the 

 hummocks we fell into a drift of fine snow into 

 which we sank up to our knees. The bear lay 

 in the centre of this drift, still living, although 

 mortally wounded and unable to move. Several 

 photographs of the poor beast were taken. One 

 moment it would crouch low, then rise, stagger 

 a few steps, then sit down to watch us, while all 

 the time it gnashed its teeth and growled from 

 pain and rage. The bear inspired pity rather 

 than fear, and seemed to desire only to be left 

 to itself to tend its wounds. It only appeared 

 menacing when we approached too close. 



Merite settled himself comfortably to make a 

 sketch of it. I remained near him with my 

 gun loaded, because bears, even when mortally 

 wounded, have been known to display marvellous 

 strength and activity. When Merite had 

 completed his sketch, I finished the animal with 





