URsiDiE. MAMMALIA. -Uksid.e. 79 
make any effort in belialf of the mangled hunter. The 
officer ordered a large party out at day-light the next 
morning with the coward for a guide. He took them 
through the forest to the spot where the encounter 
had taken place, of which there still remained ample 
evidence ; hut no remains of the victim were met 
with, except some torn clothing and his rifle. By the 
state of the grass it was evident that the man had been 
carried off into the thick forest. A most diligent pur- 
suit was therefore made. Sometimes the track was 
lost ; but the pursuers of the hear were too well skilled 
in wood-craft to be foiled, and at length discovered 
his larder. lie had dragged the hunter into a dense 
mass of wood and bushes, and, to render the place 
still more secure, had broken off a quantity of branches 
and heaped them over his body. These were quickly 
stripped off, when, to their gi'eat surprise, they found 
the man, though frightfully mutilated and quite insen- 
sible, still living ! Two long poles were immediately 
cut, to which saddle-cloths were secured in the middle. 
One horse was placed in front, another at the back, 
and the ends of the pole secured to the stirrups, thus 
forming a very easy conveyance. The sufferer was 
placed upon the saddle-cloths, and carefully propped 
up, and then began the painful march back as fast as 
possible. On their arrival at the gold mine he was 
taken direct to the hospital. The doctor dressed his 
wounds, and administered all that medical skill and 
kindness prompted. His patient survived, but long 
remained unconscious of everything around him. After 
more than two months had elapsed a slight improve- 
ment took place, and his reason appeared to be 
lestored. His first question was about the bear, and 
then he referred to his own defeat. He spoke of 
nothing else, and was constantly asking for his rifle to 
go and kill ‘ Michael Ivanitch ’ (the bear). The 
medical men thought his mind seriously affected. As 
he gained strength there arose in him so great a desire 
to have another combat with his powerful and ferocious 
enem}'-, that it was considered necessary to place him 
under some restraint. Summer had passed over, and 
autumn had arrived ; the sun had scorched the foliage, 
changing it into golden and crimson hues, and as it 
was now thought the poor lunatic had forgotten his 
adventure, less vigilance was exercised towards him. 
The opportunity was not lost ; for he secretly left the 
hospital, and started off for his cottage. All the 
family being absent, except some young cbildren, he 
was enabled to secure his rifle and ammunition, and 
provided himself with an axe and a loaf of black bread, 
which he stowed in his wallet. Thus armed and pro- 
visioned, he left the village in the evening without 
having been seen, except by the children, and was 
soon lost to them in the forest. When it was dis- 
covered that he had escaped, people were sent out in 
various directions to seek him ; but they returned 
without success. More than a week passed over, 
during which nothing had been heard of him, when 
one day he walked into the hospital, carrying the 
skin of a huge bear on his shoulders, and throwing it 
down exclaimed, ‘ I told you I would have him.’ 
This man was a fine old hunter. It was not a spirit 
of revenge which prompted him to this daring act. 
The fact was he could not brook the idea of a defeat. 
Now his reputation was re-e.stablished, he was happy. 
His health was again restoi ed ; nor was this the last 
bear that fell before his deadly rifle.” Not only do 
the men of these regions courageously attack bears, 
but women also take to hunting, one of them having 
obtained an extraordinary reputation for her skill and 
daring. Thoughout Siberia, Bruin is said to have no 
more intrepid enemy than the damsel, Anna Petrov- 
naia ! The closing scene of one of her expeditions is 
thus described by Mr. Atkinson : — “ As she was creep- 
ing cautiously forward, out rushed the bear with a 
loud growl, about twenty yards in front. Quickly she 
threw forward the prongs of her rifle, dropped on one 
knee, and got a good sight of the animal staring at 
her, almost motionless. She now touched the trigger, 
there followed a flash, a savage growl succeeded, tlien 
a struggle for a minute or two, and her wish was 
accomplished — the bear lay dead.” Since this event, 
we are informed that she has destroyed no less than 
sixteen bears ! Here we would willingly quit the sub- 
ject, but cannot do so without also recording the most 
desperate encounter probably ever placed on record. 
This took place not far from the district in which the 
poor hunter above mentioned was so terribly mangled. 
One afternoon, says Mr. Atkinson, a Cossack officer 
“ was quietly strolling through the forest, alone and 
unarmed, botanizing by the way, when, at a distance of 
about eight versts from the gold mine, he came out of 
the forest into an open glade, on which stood some 
single trees. Almost immediately on entering this 
spot, he observed at a distance of two hundred pace.s 
a she-bear and her two cubs playing together. The 
moment she became aware of his presence, she uttered 
a savage growl, drove her young ones into a tree for 
shelter, and mounted guard at the foot of it to defend 
them. The Cossack retreated into the wood to pro- 
vide himself with a weapon, having determined to 
carry off the cubs. The woodmen had been cutting 
timber, and from the stems of several young birch 
trees lying on the ground, he selected part of a 
strong one, nearly four feet in length, tried its quality 
against a tree in a succession of smart blows, and then 
club in hand, retraced his steps. As soon as the old 
bear observed his approach she began to growl furi- 
ously, moving to and fro with an uneasy motion at the 
foot of the tree. He slowly and steadily advanced, 
when within about a hundred paces her growl became 
more savage, and her actions showed that she intended 
mischief. Nevertheless he quietly moved on, his keen 
eye steadfastly fixed upon her. The ground was a fine 
grassy turf, with no shrubs or bushes to impede his 
movements or entangle his feet. When within about 
fifty paces, she made a savage rush that would have 
daunted most men ; but he firmly stood his ground, 
waiting her nearer approach. At this moment the 
cubs began to whine, and she trotted back towards 
the tree in increased fury. The Cossack followed, 
and when she turned round, they were face to face, 
within twenty paces of each other. There was now 
no retreat. The brute eyed him keenly for two or 
three minutes, as if calculating his strength ; he return- 
ing her gaze with as searching scrutiny. Presently 
