162 WILD ANIMALS. 



tired. To this Entertainment there often follows that of whipping 

 a blinded Bear, which is performed by five or six Men, standing 

 circularly with Whips, which they exercise upon him without any 

 mercy, as he cannot escape from them because of his chain ; he 

 defends himself with all his Force and Skill, throwing down all who 

 come within his reach, and are not active enough to get out of it, 

 and tearing the Whips out of their Hands and breaking them. At 

 these Spectacles and everywhere else, the English are constantly 

 smoking Tobacco. The general drink is Beer, strong, and what 

 soon fuddles. They are good Sailors and better Pirates — above 

 300 are said to be hanged annually at London. If they see a 

 Foreigner very well made or particularly handsome, they will say, 

 ' It is a Pity he is not an Englishman.' " 



In 1623 a white bear was baited for the amusement of the 

 Spanish ambassador.^ Chamberlain writes : " The Spanish am- 

 bassador is much delighted in bear-baiting. He was the last 

 week at Paris Garden, where they showed him all the pleasure they 

 could both with bull, bear, and horse, besides jackanapes, and then 

 turned a. white bear into the Thames, where the dogs baited him 

 swimming, which was the best sport of all." 



This episode was evidently not known to the individual who 

 inserted the following notice in the Daily Advertiser, January 29th, 

 1747 : " At the particular request of several persons of distinc- 

 tion, the celebrated white sea-bear, which has been seen and 

 admired by the curious in most parts of England, will be baited 

 at Mr. Broughton's amphitheatre, this day being the 29th instant. 

 This creature is now supposed to be arrived at his utmost strength 

 and perfection, and though there never yet was any one of this 

 kind baited in Europe, it is not doubted from his uncommon size, 

 excessive weight, and more than savage fierceness, but he will 

 afford extraordinary entertainment, and behave himself in such a 

 manner as to fill those who are lovers of diversion of this kind 

 with delight and astonishment. Any person who brings a dog 

 will be admitted gratis." 



James I. did not discourage the sport, but he prohibited it on 

 the Sunday. Still it continued to flourish, except during the period 



2 Nichol's " Progresses." 



