392 
bear’s liver. 
there never attack, and even in self-defence seldom 
inflict injury upon the hunter. Many instances have 
occurred where they have defended themselves and 
even charged after being wounded, but in none of them 
ivas life lost. I have myself shot as many as a dozen 
bears near at hand, and never but once received a 
charge in return. 
“I heard another adventure from the Danes as oc¬ 
curring in 1834 :— 
“A stout Esquimaux, an assistant to the cooper 
of Upernavik,—not a Christian, but a stout, manly 
savage,—fired at a she-bear, and the animal closed on 
the instant of receiving the ball. The man fluns him- 
O % 
self on the ground, putting forward his arm to protect 
his head, hut lying afterward pei’fectly motionless. 
The beast was taken in. She gave the arm a bite or 
two, but, finding her enemy did not move, she retired a 
few paces and sat upon her haunches to watch. But 
she did not watch as carefully as she should have done, 
for the hunter adroitly reloaded his rifle and killed her 
with the second shot. 
“October 8, Sunday.—When I was out in the Ad¬ 
vance, with Captain De Haven, I satisfied myself that 
it was a vulgar prejudice to regard the liver of the 
bear as poisonous. I ate of it freely myself, and suc¬ 
ceeded in making it a favorite dish with the mess. 
But I find to my cost that it may sometimes be more 
savory than safe. The cub’s liver was my supper last 
night, and to-day I have the symptoms of poison in full 
measure—vertigo, diarrhoea, and their concomitants.” 
