244 THE TEEEIBLE. 



which had been silently biding their time, began to mani- 

 fest their presence by jealous growls, which soon gave 

 way to a general fight among themselves. Some of the 

 men now, well armed, crept along the margin of the lake 

 to collect more fuel, which was then placed on the fire. 

 The flame was blown up, and a group of eight or ten 

 wolves w r as seen within fifteen paces, with others beyond. 

 The rifles once more cracked, and the packs with a fright- 

 ful howl scampered off 



In the morning eight wolves were lying dead, and the 

 bloody tracks shewed that many others had carried away 

 mortal wounds, the reminiscences of this fearful night. 



The brown bear of Europe is of formidable strength, and 

 sufficiently bold occasionally to be a serious antagonist, as 

 numerous adventures of Mr Lloyd and other northern 

 sportsmen testify. Though it can subsist on fruits, grain, 

 and honey, which involve no destruction of animal life, 

 yet it is predaceous and ferocious too. The ancient 

 Romans made use of Scottish bears to augment the horrors 

 of public executions : 



" Nuda Caledonio sic pectora prssbuit urso, 

 Non falsa pendens in cruce, Laureolus." 



The ferocity of the Syrian bear is illustrated by many 

 passages of Sacred Writ, and in particular by the narra- 

 tive which records the slaughter of the forty-two youths, 

 who mocked Elisha, by two she-bears.* And the Polar 

 bear is a truly savage and powerful animal. 



But no species of the genus can compare with the 

 * 2 Kings ii. 24. 



