THE WORLD OF ICE. 173

seconds they were engaged in active warfare with the
enemy.

“Oh! musha! Dumps is gone intirely!” The quad-
ruped referred to was tossed to a height of about
thirty feet, and alighted senseless upon the ice. The
bear seized him with her teeth and tossed him with
an incredibly slight effort. The other dogs, nothing
daunted by the fate of their comrade, attacked the
couple in the rear, biting their heels, and so distract-
ing their attention that they could not make an ener-
getie attack in any direction. Another of the dogs,
however, a young one, waxing reckless, ventured too
near the old bear, and was seized by the back, and
hurled high into the air, through which it wriggled
violently, and descended with a sounding whack upon
the ice. At the same moment a volley from the
hunters sent several balls into the carcass of both
mother and cub; but, although badly wounded, neither
of them evinced any sign of pain or exhaustion as they
continued to battle with the remaining dogs.

The dogs that had already fallen in the fray had
not been used to bear-hunting; hence their signal
defeat. But this was not the case with the others, all
of which were old campaigners; and Poker especially,
although not old in years, was a practical fighter, hav-
ing been trained not to attack but to harass. ‘The
systematic and steady way in which they advanced
before the bear, and retired, right and left, leading her
into a profitless pursuit, was very interesting to wit-
ness. Another volley from the hunters caused them