THE POLAK BEAR. 231 



ous winter, and which was piled to a height of nearly three 

 hundred feet above the surrounding ice. I was advancing 

 directly toward open water, in my efforts to obviate the 

 necessity of climbing the ice-floe, and being in doubt as to 

 the best course to pursue, hesitated a moment to reflect, 

 when my attention was attracted to a dark object on the 

 ice on the opposite side of the open water. I at once saw 

 that it was a Seal; but being in a perilous position and out 

 of rifle range, it would have been useless for me to attempt 

 to secure him. While momentarily reflecting, being reluc- 

 tant to give Up the hunt with game in sight, I was surprised 

 to see the familiar white form of a great Polar Bear one or 

 two hundred yards in the rear of the Seal, and moving cau- 

 tiously toward it. This increased my eagerness to reach 

 the scene of action, and, if possible, to get in a shot, for 

 here was meat for all our party for several days. But I was 

 absolutely powerless, and must simply see the game come 

 and go, while I gazed in anxious curiosity at his strange 

 movements. 



The Bear crouched low on the ice, and crept in the direc- 

 tion of the Seal at an extremely slow pace, until he had 

 arrived within, I should think, thirty feet, when, with a 

 bound forward, he pounced upon his victim. A short 

 struggle followed, arid the Bear was victor. 



I am led to believe that the Seal can only see in front of 

 him, and that he depends entirely on his sense of hearing 

 to protect him from approach from the rear. The Bear 

 being aware of the weakness of his victim, is enabled, from 

 his color and soft tread, to pursue his tactics successfully. 



It is claimed by some hunters that the Polar Bear is a 

 herbivorous animal; but vegetation and animal life are 

 equally scanty to the northward from Cape Sabine. So far 

 as our observations went, we can not substantiate the writ- 

 ings of those authors who state that vegetation forms a part 

 of the Bear' s subsistence. 



The White Bear breeds in the southern portions of the 

 Arctic Circle, and their young do not accompany them 

 when, in spring, they journey northward. Lieutenant 



