Snow, and the Quality of Whiteness. 123 



was only my strangeness to the sea which pre- 

 vented the sight of its whiteness from affecting me 

 profoundly : animism in me is strongest with 

 regard to terrestrial phenomena, with which I am 

 more familiar. 



To return, before concluding this chapter, to the 

 subject of white animals. And first a word or two 

 concerning the great polar bear : is it not probable 

 that the extreme fear it inspires, which is said by 

 those who have encountered this animal to exceed 

 greatly that which is experienced at the sight of 

 other savage beasts that are dangerous to man, is 

 due to its association with the death-like repellent 

 whiteness and desolation of polar scenery ? 



"With regard to abnormal whiteness in animals 

 that are familiar to us, the sight always affects us 

 strangely, even in so innocent and insignificant a 

 creature as a starling, or blackbird, or lapwing. 

 The rarity, conspicuousness, and abnormality in 

 colour of the object are scarcely enough to account 

 for the intensity of the interest excited. Among 

 savages the distinguishing whiteness is sometimes 

 regarded as supernatural : and this fact inclines me 

 to believe that, just as any extraordinary phe- 

 nomenon produces a vague idea of someone acting 

 with a given purpose, so in the case of the white 

 animal, its whiteness has not come by accident and 

 chance, but is the result of the creature's volition 

 and the outward sign of some excellence of the 

 intelligent soul distinguishing it from its fellows. 

 In Patagonia I heard of a case bearing on this 



