244 
BEAR. 
distance from the shore, and has been with dif- 
ficulty prevented from coming on board. In one 
instance, related by Bewick, it succeeded in its at- 
tempt. The animal was wounded by the crew of 
a boat belonging to a ship in the whale-fishery, and 
with that steady determination to be revenged, 
which is the characteristic of the bear, it imme- 
diately ran along the ice towards the boat ; and on 
its way received a second shot, which made it still 
more furious. It presently swam to the boat, and 
in attempting to get on board received a blow with 
a hatchet by one of the crew, which cut off its fore 
foot while resting on the gunwale. Notwithstand- 
ing the loss of a foot, and the two other wounds, 
the animal continued to swim after them till they 
arrived at the ship; when the bear immediately as- 
cended the deck; and the crew, having fled into the 
shrouds, would have been pursued by the animal, 
if a lucky shot from one of them had not laid it 
dead upon the deck. Berentz had reason to re- 
member the dreadful vengeance of these creatures, 
who frequently attacked and killed his seamen when 
they went on shore on the island of Nova Zembla. 
Those who were unfortunate enough to be seized 
by them were carried away in their mouths, torn to 
pieces, and devoured even in sight of their com- 
panions. Nothing less than a mortal wound will 
make them desist from their purpose ; and one 
which was shot while preying on a man, staggered 
away with the mangled corpse in its mouth without 
quitting its hold till it was killed. 
