BEAR CUBS 103 



some photographic apparatus. My astonish- 

 ment when on returning to the deck I found 

 that the cub had already been hoisted aboard 

 can easily be imagined. The fury of the little 

 animal was terrible to behold. Commander 

 de Gerlache repeated his 1905 experiment. 

 He seized the rope near the cub's neck, just as 

 one would take a dog by its collar. The cub 

 flung itself upon him, and with two blows tore 

 the Commander's coat and trousers almost to 

 tatters. De Gerlache retreated quickly, where- 

 upon the maddened cub flung itself at one 

 of the men. Each moment it threatened to 

 break loose. Standing on its hind legs it gnawed 

 the rope about its neck, then rushed forward, 

 mounted the ladder, and tried to throw itself 

 into the sea. We managed just in time to 

 fasten the rope to the mast and prevent this. 

 Finally we had to fling a cloth over its head to 

 blind it. When it grew quieter, Recamier, 

 the Commander, and Rachlew got astride of it, 

 and held it down whilst its hind paws were 

 bound. It was amusing to see the three men 

 mounted on this strange steed, which struggled 

 and bucked and bellowed without a moment's 

 pause. The cub was victor ; the three men 

 were sent sprawling to the deck. The animal 

 then succeeded in tearing the cloth from its 



