Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Travels through Finland - Chapter XXI
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
238 : 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 {port 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 {till many among the |
peafantry, particularly 1 in the inland part of the country, who Shh
not expofe their life to the uncertain fhot of a mufket, which is |
fo liable to be prevented by damp ; nor be poffefled of an inftru-
ment which they think too. coftly, even when of avery 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 paffing 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
ut; 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
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
