THE BEAR. 387 
days on the scaffold, was taken down and 
put into the soup-kettle.’ 
“ The hear is also much respected in the 
East Indies and considered as being pos¬ 
sessed of certain supernatural powers. A 
story is related of an English officer who, 
passing with his palanquin through a forest, 
was attacked by a bear and left to his fate 
by his attendants, who stood looking on, 
exclaiming, alternately, ‘Well done, master! 
well done, bear!’ as one or the other ap¬ 
peared likely to have the advantage, and, 
when the conflict was ended by the death of 
the bear, approached in a body to congratu¬ 
late the Sahib on his victory.” 
“Well, bears are curious creatures,” said 
Sidney; “ and I do not wonder that ignorant 
people should suppose them to be some¬ 
thing more than mere brutes. I think there 
is something very human about a bear,— 
they have such thoughtful, sensible-looking 
eyes.” 
“Their power of standing upright, and 
even of taking some steps in that position, 
may have contributed to the same idea,” 
replied Miss Winston. “It is universally 
asserted by hunters that the bear will not 
