Apr. 1858. THE AKCTIC BEAK. 103 



in the water or upon the ice. The Greenlanders 

 are fond of bear's flesh, but never eat either the 

 heart or liver, and say that these parts cause 

 sickness. No instance is known of Grreenland 

 bears attacking men, except when wounded or 

 provoked ; they never disturb the Esquimaux 

 graves, although they seldom fail to rob a cache 

 of seal's flesh, which is a similar construction of 

 loose stones above ground. 



A native of Upernivik, one dark winter's day, 

 was out visiting his seal-nets. He found a seal 

 entangled, and, whilst kneeling down over it 

 upon the ice to get it clear, he received a slap on 

 the back — from his companion as he supposed; 

 but a second and heavier blow made him look 

 smartly round. He was horror-stricken to see a 

 peculiarly grim old bear instead of his comrade ! 

 Without deigning further notice of the man, 

 Bruin tore the seal out of the net and com- 

 menced his supper. He was not interrupted ; 

 nor did the man wait to see the meal finished. 



1 had long ago resolved, if we escaped before 

 the 15th, or the 20th April at the latest, to 

 go to Newfoundland to refresh the crew and 

 to refit, even if no damage from the ice should 

 be sustained. In order to do so it would have 

 been necessary for us to visit a Greenland port 

 for a supply of water. We could not have 



