WHALING AND BEAR-HUNTING 265 



us ; we try to encourage him by pointing out the opportunity 

 there is of developing his taste for natural history, and the 

 Seton-Thomson effect at a lecture he might make with even 

 a fair imitation of the language of these large carnivorae. 

 He and I agree to differ about the qualities of our first two 

 bears. Because our Port bear was evidently interested in 

 the very large male bear which he shot, he thinks it is the 

 biggest, strongest and altogether the most perfect bear for 

 a zoo, and because I lassoed the Starboard bear, I naturally 

 think its dimensions and spirit are superb, and I point out 

 that its three almost successful attempts for freedom are 

 proof of this. Yes, I still back " Starboard " for trouble. 

 Hamilton says Port bear has eaten through more wood 

 than my Starboard bear. I think he is wrong by an inch 

 or two ; at any rate my bear has required tons more iron 

 chain, and sacks of nails. 



The drifted pine, which we found on the floe weeks ago, is 

 all used up for Starboard's cage ; he has torn through three 

 plies of one-and-a-half-inch battens, now over the remains he 

 has chains, baulks of the pine-tree and other bits of timber. 

 At some places the wood is a foot thick, and yet I still back 

 him against the field to get out first. 



Getting the bears on deck and into cages, even though 

 they are just cubs and a third of the size of Port and Star- 

 board, was an interesting sight ; pathetic if you look at it in 

 a way. Fancy the strength of these little heroes that look 

 about the size of a man. They took six men each and a 

 powerful steam-winch to overcome them. Fluff went the 

 steam and up came the kicking, roaring, yellow-white 

 bundle of strength and teeth, with a strop round its waist, 

 and a line round its neck. Lower away ! and the winch 

 reverses and the ice-bear comes down from the sky and is 

 guided to the open top of his cage by the line on his neck 

 led through the lowest bar of the front of his cage, and 

 as he is lowered by the winch two men haul on it, so his 

 head is kept down and his mind occupied with the rope 

 on his neck ; whilst other men rapidly nail on battens 

 above his back, then the rope to his neck is cut and he 

 quickly rids himself of the noose brother and sister are 



