LAPLAND. 113 



perhaps, an hour's ramble, I came into a part of 

 the forest which I knew, and reached home about 

 four in the morning. Of course I was well laughed 

 at by all the old bear-hunters round when I related 

 my adventure. One would have done this, another 

 would have done that ; in fact, it is hard to say 

 what they would not have done, or could not have 

 done, except coming home, as I did, without leav- 

 ing the bear dead in the forest. But I was well 

 enough pleased as it was, for it now convinced me 

 that there is little to fear in meeting a bear, pro- 

 vided you don't molest him ; and considering that 

 I was liable any day to fall in with one in my 

 solitary forest rambles, to use the words of old 

 Dr. Valpy, the venerable preceptor of my youth, 

 this was to me " a very consolatory reflection/' 



By all accounts, the Swedish bear is a very 

 well-behaved animal, and, I believe, is never known 

 to attack man unless he is first molested. But 

 when wounded he is an awkward customer. He 

 rarely takes cattle, except at the end of autumn, 

 and, in fact, appears to be far more herbivorous 

 than carnivorous in his habit. Little fear of his 

 even taking a horse in the forest, for they all keep 

 together, as if they felt the truth of the old adage, 

 that unity is strength. That the chase of the bear 

 is attended with very little danger in these forests, 

 is proved by the fact, that there is scarcely an old 



