258 CAPTAIN CART WRIGHT'S 



it is dangerous to meet tliem, as they have then 

 been often known to attack a man without the 

 least provocation ; but at other times, they always 

 make ofl: yet, should you fire at one at any time 

 of the year, and shoot it through a part which is 

 not immediately mortal, you must expect to be 

 instantly attacked with the greatest fury. As 

 they are amazingly strong and excellent boxers, 

 your danger w^ill be imminent, unless you have 

 a double-barrelled gun loaded with shot to blind 

 them, or a dog, which will keep continually seiz- 

 ing them behind (tliis all dogs will do, after they 

 have run at two or three) the bear will then sit 

 down on his buttocks and spin round like a top, 

 endeavouring to get hold of the dog. This is the 

 time, when you may approach and kill him dead at 

 one shot, if you are but cool : but if the dog is not 

 well used to the sport, he will attack him forward ; 

 in which case he is sure to be either killed, lamed, 

 or cowed immediately, and the bear will then at- 

 tack you. 



Thursday, Fehruary 11, 1779. Heavy gales 

 with snow, drift, and severe frost. The badness 

 of the weather drove Gready and Martin from the 

 island, because they could not keep their fire in. 

 As they were coming along the ice, they observed 

 three tinkers ^ fly past them, and presently, one 

 of them fell as suddenly as if it had been shot. 

 On picking it up, they found the eyes of it were 

 frozen as hard as beads. 



Both myself and others have often found some 



^ Razor-billed auks, Alca torda. 



