283 
TRAVELS 
feconds rifes quite giddy to the furface, where the man feizes it 
with an inftrument made for the purpofe. 
I have, in the preceding part of this work, defcribed the man¬ 
ner of hunting the feal ; I have alfo mentioned the practice of 
catching fifh when the water is frozen, by means of hooks. I 
fhall now give fome account of the mode of attacking the bear. 
This is a kind of fport which requires great prefence of mind and 
intrepidity, and it muft be acknowledged that the Finlander dif- 
plays thefe virtues in an eminent degree. 
It is but very lately that fome few individuals have begun to 
ufe fire-arms in this chafe ; but there are ftill many among the 
peafantry, particularly in the inland part of the country, who will 
not expole their life to the uncertain fhot of a mufket, which is 
fo liable to be prevented by damp ; nor be pofleffed of an inftru¬ 
ment which they think too coftly, even when of a very ordinary 
quality. The favourite weapon of the Finlander in hunting the bear, 
is an iron lance fixed at the end of a pole. At about the diftance 
of a foot from the point of tlfe lance is fixed a crofs-bar, which 
prevents the inftrument from penetrating too far into the body of 
the bear, or pafting through both fides. When the Finlander 
has difcovered where the bear has taken up his winter quarters, 
he goes to the place and makes a noife at the entrance of his den, 
by which he endeavours to irritate and provoke him to quit his 
ftrong hold. The bear hefitates, and feems unwilling to come 
out; but continuing to be molefted by the hunter, and perhaps 
by the barking of his dog, he at length gets up and rufhes in fury 
from 
