THE POLAR BEAR. 



Greenlander and his wife paddling out at fea in their canoe, who coming 

 too near an ice-float, are furprifed by an unexpected vifit from a White 

 Bear, which jumps into their boat, and if he does not overfet it, fets himfelf 

 down very quietly as a paffenger, till the Greenlander, not very fond of his 

 new gueft, rows him on lhore ; and what is very remarkable, the Bear, as if 

 in return for the good office, feldom offers any violence to either of them. 

 They prowl about upon the flakes of ice, in fearch of feals and dead whales, 

 and when urged by hunger, they will even attack the Sea-Lion, though 

 they often fall a facrifice to their temerity, and are obliged to fubmit to 

 the fuperior llrength of their antagonift. They fwim from one piece of ice 

 to another, and, if attacked, will defend themfelves againft a boat full of 

 men (a). 



The affection fubfifting between the White Bear and its young is fo very 

 remarkable, that they will rather die than forfake each other. Hiflory 

 furnifhes us with feveral extraordinary inflances, where the maternal love, 

 difplayed by this animal, has been equally flriking and affecting. They 

 generally produce two young ones at a time. 



An animal of this fpecies was publicly exhibited in England a few years 

 lince. It appeared to be very furious, roared tremendoufly, and feemed 

 always agitated and uneafy, except when it was kept cool, by having large 

 quantities of water thrown over it. 



There is now one of them alive in the exhibition of wild animals at 

 Exeter 'Change, of which the annexed plate is a faithful portrait. The 

 conduct of this individual agrees perfectly with what has been related. 



The Polar Bear inhabits the mores of Hudfon's Bay, Greenland, 

 Spitzbergen, and Nova Zembla, and is found no where elfe, unlefs when it 

 is transported involuntarily on floating iflands of ice. 



During the depth of winter, thefe animals retreat under the fnow, in 

 which they form deep dens, fupported by pillars of the fame(B). 



(a) Crantz's Greenland, (b) Egede 60, quoted by Pennant 



