of this
cord in his hand. As soon as the dog smells the bear, he begins to show
signs of uneasiness, and, by dragging at the cord, informs his master
that the object of his pursuit is at no great distance.

When the Laplander, by this means, discovers on which side the bear is
stationed, he advances in such a direction that the wind may blow from
the bear to him, and not the contrary; for otherwise, the animal would,
by his scent, be aware of his approach, though not able to see the
enemy, being blinded by sunshine. The olfactory organs of the bear are
exquisite. When the hunter has advanced to within gunshot of the bear,
he fires upon him; and this is very easily accomplished in autumn, as
he is then more fearless, and is constantly prowling about for berries
of different kinds, on which he feeds at this season of the year.
Should the man chance to miss his aim, the furious beast will directly
turn upon him in a rage, and the little Laplander is obliged to take to
his heels with all possible speed, leaving his knapsack behind him on
the spot. The bear, coming up to this, seizes upon it, biting and
tearing it into a thousand pieces. While he is thus venting his fury,
the Laplander, who is generally a good marksman, reloads his gun, and
usually destroys him at the second shot; if not, the bear in most cases
runs away.

Bear-baiting was a favorite amusement of our English ancestors. Sir
Thomas Pope entertained Queen Mary and the Princess Elizabeth, at
Hatfield, with a grand exhibition of a "bear-baiting, with which their
highnesses were right well content." Bear-baiting was part of the
amusement of Elizabeth, among "the princely pleasures of Kenilworth
Castle." Rowland White, speaking of the queen, then in her
sixty-seventh year, says,--"Her majesty is very well. This day she
appoints a Frenchman to do feats upon a rope, in the Conduit Court.
To-morrow she has commanded the bears, the bull, and the ape, to be
bayted, in the tilt-yard. Upon Wednesday, she will have solemn
dauncing." The office of chief master of the bear was held under the
crown, with a salary of 16d. _per diem_. Whenever the king chose to
entertain himself or his visitors with this sport, it was the duty of
the master to provide bears and dogs, and to superintend the baiting;
and he was invested with unlimited authority to issue commissions, and
to send his officers into every county in England, who were empowered
to seize and take away any bears, bulls