MAKE NICE PETS. 275 



trouble to lead home. After breakfast, we 

 started to return to the village, and before 

 we reached it in the evening, the little bears 

 appeared so reconciled to their captivity, 

 that we took off the ropes by which they 

 were led, and they came along with us just 

 like two little dogs, actually seeming afraid 

 to be left many yards behind. For a few 

 months, they make very nice pets, but soon 

 become too strong and rough in their play 

 to be left at large. 



It is a very singular cu'cumstance, that 

 bears, when they happen to get caught by 

 the foot, in the snares set for musk-deer, 

 and are unable to break them by main force, 

 never attempt to bite the snare in two, and 

 thus liberate themselves, I have known 

 several instances of bears, of considerable 

 size, caught in a snare, which a fox, pole-cat, 

 or monkey would have bitten through in a 

 few seconds, and held for days, or until the 

 owner of the snares pleased to destroy 

 them. I had the curiosity one day, to walk 

 some fifteen miles, to satisfy myself as to the 



