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which bemg reflcfted from the fnow, are generally found to 

 blacken the (kin ; by which means the Kamtfliadalc ladies 

 preferve a fine complexion. The Riifllans of Kamtdiatka 

 make window-pants of ihcfe inteftines, which are as clear 

 and tranfparent as thofe made of Mufcovy glafs. Of the 

 ihouldcr blades of the bear are made fickUs for cutting 

 grafs ; and the heads and the haunches are hung np by the 

 Kamtfhadalcs, as ornaments or trophies, on the trees about 

 their dwellings. 



Bfar'j GrM/i; is efteemed by fome a fovcreign remedy 

 againft cold diforders, efpecially rheumatifms. Some have 

 alfo employed it with fuccefs in the gout, and againft tu- 

 mors and ulcers. To be good, it mull be newly melted, 

 greyifh, glutinous, of a ftrong difagreeable fmell, and a mo- 

 derate confillcncc. That which is too white is adulterated 

 with common tallow. It is now much ufid by hair-drefTers, 

 and is faid to be of fcrvice in thickening the hair, and for 

 ether purpofes. 



The inhabitants of Kamtfhatka hold in high eflimation 

 the fat of the bear, as a very favoury and wholefome nou- 

 rifhment ; and when melted, and thus rendered fluid, it fup- 

 pHes the ufe of oil. 



Bear'j Siin makes a fur in great cfteem, and on which 

 depends a confiderable article of commerce, being ufed in 

 houfings, on coach-boxes, &c. In fome countries, cloaths 

 are made of it, more efpecially bags wherein to keep the 

 feet warm in fcverc colds. Of the fliins of bears-cubs are 

 made gloves, muffs, and the like. It is ufed in Rufha for 

 beds, covertures, caps, gloves, and collars for their fledge- 

 dogs. Thofe who traverfe the ice for the capture of marine 

 animals make their flioc-foles of bears' flcin, which prevents 

 the danger of flipping. Alight black bear Ikin is one of 

 the moll comfortable and collly articles of the winter ward- 

 robe of a man of fafhion at Peterfliurg or Mofeow ; and 

 even the fmall white hand of a bc-lle is llipt into the large 

 bear muff which covers the half of her elegant fhape. The 

 exportation of bear-fl<ins forms a vciy confiderable article of 

 Ruflian eomnierco, independently of thofe that are ufed for 

 home confumptio-.i. 



Bear GnrJin, a place where bears and other beads are 

 expofed as a public fpcftacle to be baited. See Baiting. 



Bear, hunting and killing of the. The bear is in a variety of 

 refpefts fo ufeful an animal in Rudia and northern coun- 

 tries, that the inhabitants have devifed feveral ingenious me- 

 tliods of taking and dellroying them. The moll ufual way 

 of killing this animal is with tire-arms, and fpears or darts. 

 The Laplanders knock them down with clubs, as they can 

 cafily overtake them in running with their fnow-flioes ; but 

 they are generally firft fhot, and then difpatelied with fpears. 

 In fome parts of Siberia, the hunters er;ft a fcaifold of fe- 

 veral balks laid on one another, which falling down, cruflies 

 the bear, on his flipping upon the trap placed under it. 

 Another method is to dig pits, in which is hxed a fmooth, 

 folid, and very fliarp-pointed poll, which rifes about a foot 

 above the bottom. The pit is carefullv covertd with fods, 

 and acrofs the track of the bear is ftrctched a thin rope with 

 an elaftic bug bear. As foon as the bear touches the rope, 

 the wooden bug-bear ftarts loofe ; and the feared animal, en- 

 deavouring to fave himfelf by flight, falls with violence 

 into the pit, and is killed by the pointed poft. If he efcape 

 this fnare, at a fmall dillance, perhaps, feveral caltrops (fee 

 Caltrop) and other iriftrumc-iits of annoyance await him, 

 amongfl which a fimilar terrific log is erefted, and where the 

 perfecuttd bcall, the more he llrives to get free, fixes him- 

 felf more firmly to the fpot at which the blood-thiilly hunter 

 lies in ambufli for him. The Koriaks find out a crooked tree, 

 which is grown up in the form of a gibbet, and at the 



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bent fummit of it they attach a noofe, with a bait fufpendcd 

 to it. The hungry bear, thus allured, eagerly cUmbs up 

 the tree, and on his moving the branch, the noofe draws to- 

 gether, and the animal remains fufpended to the tree. But 

 the method adopted by the inhabitants of the mountainous 

 parts of Siberia to make this ferocious animal kill himfelf is 

 more fingular and ingenious. They fallen a very heavy block 

 to a rope, terminating at the other end with a loop. Tiiis is 

 laid near a lleep precipice on the path which the bear ufually 

 takes. On having his neck in Uie noofe, and finding that he 

 cannot proceed on account of the clog, he takes it up in a 

 rage, and to free himfelf from it, throws it down the precipice, 

 which of courfe pulls him after it, and he is commonly killed 

 by the fall. Should this accidentally not be the cafe, he 

 drags the block again up the acclivity, and renews his ef- 

 forts, till with incrcafing fury he either finks to the giound, 

 or kills himfelf by a dccifive plunge. 



The white or polar bear (Ursus Maritimus) lives on the 

 coaft of the Frozen ocean, and in fome of the eallerii and 

 northern iflcs, where the chace of him is a collateral occu- 

 pation of the mariners who vifit thefe coails for the capture 

 of the morfe. Black bears are fo numerous in Kamtfliatka, 

 that they are feen roaming about the plains in troops, and 

 mull long fince have been exterminated, if tliey were not 

 here more tame and gentle than in any other part of the 

 world. In fpring, they defcend from the mountains where 

 they have wintered, to the mouths of the rivers for catching 

 fifli, which fwarm in all the ftreams of that peninfula. If 

 the fifh are plentiful, they eat only the heads ; and when 

 they find nets laid in any place, they dcxteroufly drag them 

 out of the water, and empty them of the fifh. Towards au- 

 tumn, when the firti go up the rivers, they advance with 

 them gradually to the mountains. Wlien a Kamtfliadalfe 

 efpies a bear, he endeavours to conciliate his friendfhip at a 

 dillance, accompanying his gefturcs by courteous words. 

 Indeed they are fo familiar, that the women and girls, when 

 they are gathering roots and herbs, or turf for fuel, are ne- 

 ver diilurbed in thtir employment, even in the midft of a 

 whole drove of bears ; and if one of thtfe animals comes up 

 to one of them, it is merely to take fomething out of their 

 hands. They have never been known to attack a man, ex- 

 c<pt when they are rouftd from their fleep, and they feldom 

 turn upon the markfmen whether they be hit or not. Not- 

 with.flanding this gentlenefs of the bear, its utility renders it 

 a valuable object of prey. When the hunter and the bear 

 meet, the co-.iteil is generally bloody, but it generally termi- 

 nates to the advantage of the artful huntfman. Armed with 

 fpears and ehibs, the Kamtfhiidale goes in qucft of the peaces 

 fulbear in his calm retreat, who, thinking only of his defence, 

 takes thefaggotsbroughtby his purluer,and choaks withthem 

 the entrance into his den. The mouth of the cavern being 

 clofed, the hunter bores a hole through the top, and then 

 with the greateft fecurity fpears his defencelcfs foe. Tooke's 

 \'iew of Ruflia, vol. ii. p. 442, &c. 



Dr. Barton, in his " Fragments of the Natural Hiftory of 

 Pennfylvania," informs us, that the bears migrate in great 

 numbers, every autumn, acrofs the Mifiilippi, proceeding 

 fouth, perhaps to the mountains of New Mexico, in fearch 

 of a milder climate. In tlie fpring they return again by the 

 fame route. This migration of the bears is particularly ob» 

 fen'ed at Manchar, on the Miffifippi. 



Bear hading, to (hew tricks, is an ancient prafticc, 

 which we find prohibited in the canons of the church. Du- 

 Cange. 



Bear wards, urfarii, were a kind of fervants in great 

 families among the Romans, who had the care of breediBg 

 and feeding thofe animals. Pitifc. Lex. Ant. torn. ii. 



p. 1 1 10. 



