COMMON BEAR. 
401 
occasion to one of the Russian modes of taking 
him. To those trees where the bees are hived, a 
heavy log of wood is hung at the end of a long 
string. When the unwieldy creature climbs up to 
get at the hive, he finds himself interrupted by the 
log ; lie pushes it aside, and immediately attempts 
to pass it ; but in returning, it hits him such a blow, 
that in a rage, he flings it from him with greater 
force, which makes it return with increased vio- 
lence upon himself ; and he sometimes continues 
this, till he is either killed, or falls from the tree. 
These animals are so numerous in Kamtschatka, 
tliat they are often seen roaming about the plains 
in great companies ; and they would infallibly 
have long since exterminated all the inhabitants,, 
were they not here much more tame and gentle than 
the generality of hears in other parts of the world. 
In spring, they descend in multitudes from the 
mountains (where they have passed the winter) to 
the mouths of the rivers, for catching fish, which 
swarm in all the streams of that peninsula; If 
there be plenty of this food, they eat nothing but 
the heads of the fish ; and when at any time they 
find the fisherman’s nets, they dexterously drag 
them out of the water* and empty them of their 
contents. 
When a Kamtschadale espies a bear, he endea- 
vours to conciliate its friendship at a distance, ac- 
companying his gestures by courteous words. The 
bears are indeed so familiar here, that the women 
and girls, when gathering roots and herbs, or turf 
for fuel, in the midst of a whole drove of bears, 
are never disturbed by them in their employment ; 
and if any one of these animals comes up to them, 
it is only to cat something out of their hands. They 
have never been known to attack a man, except 
when roused on a sudden from sleep ; and they 
very seldom turn upon the marksman* whether they 
VOL, i, 3 f 
