It is remarkable for its enormous horns, curled in a very curious
manner. Think not it is like one of our quiet, foolish sheep; there is no
animal at once so strong and so active. It is such a climber, that no
wolf or bear can follow it to the high places, hanging over awful
precipices, where it walks as firmly as you do upon the pavement.
Sometimes a hunter finds it among the mountains, and just as he is going
to shoot it, the creature disappears:--it has thrown itself down a
precipice! Is it dashed to pieces? No, it fell unhurt, and has escaped
without a bruise; for its bones are very strong, and its skin very thick.
The bears of Kamkatka live chiefly upon fish and berries, and seldom
attack men. Yet men hunt them for their skins, and for their fat. The
skins make cloaks, and the fat is used for lamps; but their flesh is
thrown to the dogs. Many of the bears are very thin. It is only _fat_
bears that can sleep all the winter in their dens without food; _thin_
bears cannot sleep long, and even in winter they prowl about for food.
Dogs are very much afraid of them. A large party of travellers, who were
riding in sledges, drawn by dogs, observed the dogs suddenly begin to
snuff the air, and lo! immediately afterwards, a bear at full speed
crossed the road, and ran towards a forest. Great confusion took place
among the dogs; they set off with all their might; some broke their
harness, others got entangled among the trees, and overturned their
sledges.
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