BEAR. 
241 
turn home with great pride and self-sufficiency ; for 
to kill a bear forms the character of a complete man. 
They again give a great entertainment, and now 
make a point to leave nothing. The feast is dedi- 
cated to a certain genius, perhaps that of gluttony, 
whose resentment they dread if they do not eat 
every morsel, and even sup up the very melted 
grease in which the meat was dressed. They some- 
times eat till they burst, or bring on themselves 
some violent disorders. The first course is the 
greatest bear they have killed, without even taking 
out the entrails, or taking off the skin, contenting 
themselves with singeing the skin, as is practised 
with hogs.” 
Of the many singular customs that have pre- 
vailed in different countries, that which is recorded 
of the Laplanders is not among the least. The 
hunter who had killed a bear was reckoned a great 
man, and was held in the highest esteem by both 
sexes ; he was caressed, he was feasted ; but he was 
denied access to his wife for three days. The bear 
was brought home in triumph, and a new tent was 
erected for the hero, which, however, he never en- 
tered till he had changed his hunting dress : here 
he was to remain three days, the women confining 
themselves at home during the time. The flesh 
of the bear was dressed in the tent of the hero ; the 
feast was prepared ; and part of it sent to the fe- 
males : but here comes another singularity, the la- 
dies were never allowed a bit of the rump ; neither 
were they to receive the meat at the common en- 
vol. i. R 
