BEAUS. 
113 
still had its influence, and he yet scarcely dared 
to retreat. Bruin, however, possessing less re¬ 
flection, or being more regardless of consequences, 
began, with the most audacious boldness, to ad¬ 
vance. His nigh approach, and unshaken step, 
subdued the spark of bravery, and that dread of 
ridicule, that had hitherto upheld our adventurer; 
he turned and fled. But now was the time of 
danger. The sailor’s flight encouraged the bear 
in his turn to pursue; and being better practised 
in snow-travelling, and better provided for it, he 
rapidly gained upon the fugitive. The whale- 
lance, his only defence, encumbering him in his 
retreat, he threw it down, and kept on. This for¬ 
tunately excited the bear’s attention ; he stopped, 
—pawed it,—bit it, and then resumed the chace. 
Again he was at the heels of the panting sea¬ 
man, who, conscious of the favourable effect of 
the lance, dropped a mitten: the stratagem suc¬ 
ceeded, and, while bruin again stopped to exa¬ 
mine it, the fugitive, improving the interval, 
made considerable progress a-head. Still the 
bear resumed the pursuit, with the most provo¬ 
king perseverance, excepting when arrested by 
another mitten, and finally by a hat, which he 
tore to shreds between his teeth and his paws, 
and would no doubt have soon made the incau¬ 
tious adventurer his victim, who was rapidly losing 
