270 HISTORY OF QJJA D RUPEDS. 



animal ftill, however, continued to fwim after them till 

 they arrived at the (hip ; and feveral (hots were fired at 

 it, which alfo took effecl: : But on reaching the {hip, it 

 immediately afcended the deck ; and the crew having fled 

 into the fhrowds, it was purfuing them thither, when a 

 fhot from one of them laid it dead upon the deck. 



Its flefti is white, and is faid to tafte like mutton. 

 The fat is melted for train-oil ; and that of the feet is 

 ufed in medicine. 



The White Bear brings forth two young at a time. 

 Their fondnefs for their offspring is fo great, that they 

 will die rather than defert them : "Wounds ferve only to 

 make the attachment more violent : They embrace their 

 cubs to the laft, and bemoan them with the mod piteous 

 cries. 



They feed on fifli, feals, and the carcafes of whales. 

 Allured by the fcent of feal's flefti, they often break into 

 the huts of the Greenlanders. — They fometimes attack 

 the Morfe, with which they have terrible conflicts : But 

 the large teeth of that animal give it a decided fuperiority 

 over the Bear, which is generally worfted. 



