T H E W H I T E, O R 221 



■whales. They take up their refidence on Iflands 

 of ice, on which they are often feen floating, 

 and never abandon their ftation as long as they 

 can find abundance of food. When thefe boards 

 of ice are detached in the fpring, the bears al- 

 low themfelves to be carried along ; and, as they 

 cannot regain the land, or abandon the ice on 

 which they are embarked, they often perifli in 

 the open lea. Thofe who arrive with the ice 

 on the coafls of Iceland or Norway *, are 

 ftarved to fuch a degree, that they devour every 

 thing they meet, which may have given rife to 

 the prejudice, that thefe fea-bears are more 

 fierce and voracious than the common kind. 

 Some authors tell us, that the fea-bears are am- 

 phibious like the feals, and that they can live 

 as long as they pleafe under water. But the 

 contrary is evident from the manner of hunt- 

 ing them : They are incapable of fwimming 

 long, and never accomplifh above a league at a 

 time. They are followed by a fmall boat, and 

 are foon worn out with fatigue. If they could 

 difpenfe with refpiration, they would dive to the 

 bottom, in order to reft themfelves. But, when 

 they dive, it is only for a few feconds ; and, for 



fear 



• When the iflands of ice feparate from the North of 

 Greenland, and are driven fouthward, the white bears dare 

 not depart from them. When they arrive in Norway, or at 

 any ifland, they are mad with hunger ; and ftrange (lories 

 are told of the ravages made by thefe animals ; Rccueil des 

 •voyages du Nord, torn, l, p. lOO. 



