144 APPENDIX. 





sides which some or other of the men were constantly frying 

 steaks during the whole day, over a large fire made of the 

 blubber. The consequence of all this, and other similar in- 

 dulgences, necessarily was, that some of them complained for 

 several days after of the pains usually arising from indiges- 

 tion; though they all, amusingly enough, attributed this effect 

 to the quality, and not the quantity of meat they had eaten. 

 The fact however is, that the flesh of the bear is just as 

 wholesome, though not quite as palatable as any other ; and 

 had they eaten moderately of it, as the officers did, they 

 would have suflfered no inconvenience whatever. However, 

 notwithstanding these excesses at first, we were really thank- 

 ful for this additional supply of meat ; for we had observed 

 for some time past that the men were evidently not so strong 

 as before, and would be the better for more sustenance." 



Capt. Beechey gives an instance of the cunning displayed 

 by this arctic tyrant, which he witnessed on the shores of 

 Spitzbergen in 1818. " One sunshiny day a Avalrus, of nine 

 or ten feet length, rose in a pool of water not very far from 

 us, and after looking around drew his greasy c,?rcass upon 

 the ice, where he rolled about for a time, and at length laid 

 himself down to sleep. A bear, which had probably been 

 observing his movements, crawled carefully upon the ice on 

 the opposite side of the pool, and began to roll about also, 

 but apparently more with design than amusement, as he pro- 

 gressively lessened the distance that intervened between him 

 and his prey. The walrus, suspicious of his advances, drew 

 himself up, preparatory to a precipitate retreat into the 

 water, in case of a nearer acquaintance with his playful but 

 treacherous visitor ; on which the bear was instantly motion- 

 less, as if in the act of sleep ; but after a time began to lick 

 his paws and clean himself, and occasionally to encroach a 

 little more upon his intended prey. But even this artifice 

 did not succeed ; the wary walrus was far too cunning to 

 allow himself to be entrapped, and suddenly plunged into 



