176 THE WHITE BEAR. 
known to the whale-fishers. They find 
greatest difficulty in entrapping him, although' 
he fearlessly approaches their vessels. 
captain of a whaler, being anxious to tak^ 
one of these animals without wounding 
skin, laid the noose of a rope in the 
placing within it a piece of kreng, or bur”' 
ing meat. A bear, ranging the neighboa’^' 
ing ice, was soon enticed to the spot 
the smell of the meat. Perceiving the bai^' 
he approached and seized it in his mouth’ 
but at the same moment his foot being, by ^ 
jerk of the rope, entangled in the noose, 
pushed it off with the other paw, and delib^ 
rately retired. Having eaten the meat, wh’^^’ 
he carried away with him, he returned. ' 
noose being then replaced, with another p*^f^ ^ 
of kreng, he pushed the rope aside, and ag^^J ' 
walked off triumphantly with the meat. ^ 
third time the noose was laid ; but, excited 
caution by the evident observation of the be^''’ 
