POLAR BEAR. 
killed. Thofe whom they feized on they took in their mouths, ran away 
with the utmoft eafe, tore to pieces, and devoured at their leifure, 
even in fight of the furviving comrades. One of thefe animals was 
fhot preying on the mangled corpfe, yet would not quit its hold; but 
continued ftaggering away with the body in its mouth, till difpatched 
with many wounds*. 
They will attack, and attempt to board, armed veffels far diftant 
from fhore; and have been with great difficulty repelled +. They 
feem to give a preference to human blood; and will greedily dif-inter 
the graves of the buried, to devour the cadaverous contents f. 
Their ufual food is fifth, feals, and the carcafes of whales. On 
land, they prey on deer |, hares, young birds, and eggs, and often on 
whortleberries and crowberries. They are at conftant enmity with 
the Walrus, or Morfe:. the laft, by reafon of its vaft tufks, has ge- 
nerally the fuperiority; but frequently both the combatants perifh 
in the conflict §. 
They are frequently feen in Greenland, in lat. 76, in great droves ; 
where, allured by the fcent of the fleth of feals, they will furround the 
habitations of the natives, and attempt to break in@ ; but are foon. 
driven away by the fmell of burnt feathers**. If one of them is by 
any accident killed, the furvivors will immediately eat it tf. 
They grow exceffively fat ; a hundred pounds of fat has been taken 
out of a fingle beaft. Their fiefh is coarfe, but is eaten by the fea- 
men :: it is white, and they fancy it taftes like mution.. The liver is: 
very unwholefome, as three of Heem/kirk’s failors experienced, who 
fell dangeroufly ill on eating fome of it boiled ft. The flin is an 
article of commerce : many are imported, and ufed chiefly for covers 
to coach-boxes. The Greenlanders teed on the flefh and fat; ufe the 
{kins to fit on, and make of it boots, fhoes, and gloves ; and fplit the 
tendons into thread for fewing. 
* Heemfeirk’s:voy. 14. + The fame, 18. t Martin's Spitzb. 102< 
\| Faun. Groenl. p. 23. § Egede, 83. q The fame, 60. ** Faun, 
Groenl. ps 23. tt HeemRirk, 51. tt The fame. 45. 
Purine 
Foon, 
