218 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
no one being required to keep the deck in the then im- 
movable condition of the ship. A hardy fellow who first 
looked out, perceiving the bear so near, imprudently 
jumped upon the ice, armed only with a handspike, with 
a view, it is supposed, of gaining all the honour of the ex- 
ploit of securing so fierce a visitor by himself. But the 
bear, regardless of such weapons, and sharpened probably 
by hunger, disarmed his antagonist, and seizing him by 
the back with bis powerful jaws, carried him off with such 
celerity, that on his dismayed comrades rising from their 
meal and looking abroad, he was so far beyond their 
reach as to defy their pursuit.” 
“ A circumstance, communicated to me by Captain 
Muni'oe of the Neptune, of rather a humorous nature as 
to the result, arose out of an equally imprudent attack 
made on a bear, in the Greenland fishery of 1820, by a 
seaman employed in one of the Hull whalers. The ship 
was moored to a piece of ice, on which, at a considerable 
distance, a large bear was observed prowling about for 
prey. One of the ship’s company, emboldened by an 
artificial courage, derived from the free use of rum, which 
in his economy he had stored for special occasions, un- 
dertook to pursue and attack the bear that was within 
view. Armed only with a whale-lance, he resolutely, 
and against all persuasion, set out on his adventurous ex- 
ploit. A fatiguing journey of about half a league, over a 
yielding surfaceof snowand rugged hummocks, broughthim 
within a few yards of the enemy, which, to his surprise, un- 
dauntedly faced him, and seemed to invite him to the com- 
bat. His courage being by this time greatly subdued, 
partly by evaporation of the stimulus, and partly by the 
undismayed and even threatening aspect of the bear, he 
levelled his lance, in an attitude suited either for offen- 
sive or defensive action, and stopped. The bear also stood 
still; in vain the adventurer tried to rally courage to make 
the attack; his enemy was too formidable, and bis appear- 
ance too imposing. In vain also he shouted, advanced 
his lance, and made feints of attack; the enemy, either 
not understanding or despising such unmanliness, obsti- 
nately stood his ground. Already the limbs of the sailor 
began to quiver; but the fear of ridicule from his mess- 
mates had its influence, and he yet scarcely dared to re- 
treat. Bruin, however, possessing less reflection, or being 
regardless of consequences, began, with audacious bold- 
ness, to advance. His nigh approach and unshaken step 
subdued the spark of bravery and that dread of ridicule 
that had hitherto upheld our adventurer; he turned and 
fled. But now was the time of danger; the sailor’s flight 
encouraged the bear in turn to pursue, and being better 
practised in snow-travelling, and better provided for it, 
he rapidly gained upon the fugitive. The whale-lance, 
his only defence, encumbered him in his retreat, he threw 
it down, and kept on. This fortunately excited the bear’s 
attention; he stopped, pawed it, bit it, and then renewed 
the chase. Again he was at the heels of the panting sea- 
man, who, conscious of the favourable effects of the lance, 
dropped one of his mittens; the stratagem succeeded, and 
while Bruin again stopped to examine it, the fugitive, im- 
proving the interval, made considerable progress a-head. 
Still the bear resumed the pursuit with a most provoking 
perseverance, except when arrested by another mitten, 
and, finally, by a hat, which he tore to shreds between 
his fore-teeth and paws, and would, no doubt, soon have 
made the incautious adventurer his victim, who was now 
rapidly losing strength, but for the prompt and well-timed 
assistance of his shipmates — who, observing that the affair 
had assumed a dangerous aspect, sallied out to his rescue. 
The little phalanx opened him a passage, and then closed 
to receive the bold assailant. Though now beyond the 
reach of his adversary, the dismayed fugitive continued 
onwards, impelled by his fears, and never relaxed his ex- 
ertions, until he fairly reached the shelter of his ship. 
The bear once more came to a stand, and for a moment 
seemed to survey his enemies, with all the consideration 
of an experienced general; when, finding them too nume- 
rous for a hope of success, he very wisely wheeled 
about, and succeeded in making a safe and honourable re- 
treat.”* 
The Polar Bear is stated to be generally four or five 
feet high, from seven to eight feet long, and nearly the 
same in circumference. Individuals have frequently been 
met with of much greater size; Barentz killed one in 
Cherie Island, whose skin measured thirteen feet.t The 
weight is generally from six to eight hundred pounds. 
The hair of the body is long, and of a yellowish white 
colour, and is very shaggy about the inside of the legs. 
The paws are seven inches or more in breadth, with claws 
two inches long. In some individuals, the canine teeth 
have been found an inch and a half long, exclusive of the 
portion imbedded in the jaw: the strength of the jaws is 
very great, and enables the animal to inflict dreadful in- 
jury when he bites. 
The following measurements are from an individual, 
* Scoresby’s Greenland Voyage. 
-j- Desmarest states in a note that the largest individuals of this spe- 
cies which have been observed, are not more than six feet seven inches 
long. This does not agree with the accounts given by many northern 
voyagers: we have selected Captain Ross’ measurements, (not be- 
cause the individual from which they were taken is the largest that 
has been seen,) but because his scientific character is so generally 
and advantageously known. It would have been very easy to have 
selected measurements of larger specimens, from other sources. 
