A LUXURIOUS BEAR. 403 



the Bear was gone with his chain broken. The pilot, who had been relieved a few 

 minutes before, now led me forward to inspect his caboose, which was surrounded by 

 the passengers and deck hands, all in fits of laughter. 



I could not make out the reason of it at first, until one of the bystanders pulled a 

 corner of the blanket off the pilot's bed, when, to my surprise, the jerk was answered 

 by an indolent growl. My friend Bruin having got drenched by the shower, had broken 

 his chain in Disgust, and actually found his way to the pilot's bed, clambered into it, and 

 rolled himself carefully between the blankets. The good-humored pilot was not in the 

 least angry, but, on the contrary, highly amused, replying to my apologies as I kicked 

 out his strange bed-fellow, ' Oh ! never mind, mister ; why, what's the hindrance to the 

 blankets being dried again ? ' 



The same animal had contracted a strong friendship with a little antelope which was 

 a fellow-voyager with himself ; and on one occasion performed a most chivalrous service 

 in behalf of its defenceless little friend. 



As the antelope was being led through the streets, towards the vessel, a large mastiff 

 flew at it, and was with difficulty kept at bay by the voice and stick of the person who 

 was leading the terrified little creature. Mr. Palliser, who was following with the 

 Bear, rushed to the rescue, but was outrun by the Bear, who dashed boldly fowardand 

 closed with the assailant in a moment. A fierce combat ensued, in which the Bear 

 refrained at first from using his teeth or claws, and contented himself with seizing the 

 mastiff in his powerful arms, and flinging him on his back with such violence that it 

 rolled over and over on the ground. The dog, cheered by the voice of its master, 

 succeeded at last in giving the Bear a tolerably sharp grip between its teeth. Incensed 

 by the pain, Bruin lost his temper, and seizing the dog in his arms, squeezed the breath 

 nearly out of its body, and was preparing to use its teeth, when the dog, which was 

 rapidly choking under the terrible pressure of the Bear's arms, contrived to extricate 

 itself by a sudden struggle, and ran away with piteous howls, leaving the Bear master 

 of the field. 



The length of a well-grown adult male is rather more than eight feet six inches, and 

 the girth round the body is equal to the length. The weight of such an animal is rather 

 more than eight hundred pounds. Specimens still larger are sometimes killed, but the 

 average weight and dimensions are as given above. 



The powerful claws of this animal are employed not only for combat, but in digging 

 up the earth for various purposes, such as the search after various roots and bulbs, and 

 the interment of some large animal which they have killed. The instinct for burying 

 their prey is so largely developed in these creatures that they have more than once been 

 deceived by the craft of a hunter, who, when resistance or escape was impracticable, has 

 simulated death in order to disarm the wrath of the terrible animal. Thinking the man 

 to be dead, and not being irritated by wounds, the Bear proceeds to scratch a pit in the 

 earth, and to drag the unresisting prey into the hollow, and to cover him carefully with 

 grass and leaves, pressing them well down, so as to conceal him effectually. Satisfied 

 with its precaution, the Bear betakes itself to rest, and the buried hunter seizes the 

 opportunity of slipping quietly away while the animal is engaged in repose. 



Several Grizzly Bears have been brought to this country, and have attracted great 

 attention by their amusing and playful habits. A further interest attaches to them from 

 the fact that two of them underwent a surgical operation while under the influence of 

 chloroform. Bears are subject to ophthalmia, especially when in confinement, and are 

 often totally deprived of sight by this disease. Until the discovery of the anaesthetic 

 powers of chloroform, the poor animals were doomed to hopeless blindness, but at the 

 present day, the Bear is rendered as quiet and harmless as a guinea-pig under the 

 influence of this potent vapor. 



In order to place the sponge that contained the chloroform fairly under the animal's 

 nostrils, it was necessary to bring its head close to the bars of the cage, an operation which 

 was with difficulty effected by the united efforts of four strong men. The sponge was 

 then affixed to its snout, and in a very short time the animal was lying on the floor of its 

 cage, without sense or motion. The door was then opened, and the Bear's head being laid 

 on a plank outside the cage, the operator speedily removed the obstacle. The animal was 



