hand sledge—such a one as is drawn by men, there being no track in that part of the forest suitable for a horse-for the conveyance of the bear; and, subsequently, after we had unsuccessfully beaten several thick brakes, in the hopes of finding another of these animals, we ourselves proceeded to that hamlet.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Lutenäs and Lima bears.-Gallåsen.-Flermön.-Nya Lördal.Celebrated chasseur.-Anecdotes.-Snow-blindness.

AT nine o'clock on the evening of Tuesday, 1st of April, when we got back to Aspberg, after having bivouacked during the preceding night in the Norwegian forest, where we had been wandering for a day or two, we received intelligence of two bears; one in the vicinity of Lutenäs, in Norway, a hamlet situated on the Klar, at some fourteen miles to the north-west; the other in the parish of Lima, in Dalecarlia, which, as the crow flies, (the regular route being most circuitous,) was about fifty miles in a south-easterly direction. The letter containing the information regarding the Lima bear was brought me by my landlady from Lapp-cottage; this had been conveyed to that place, in the first instance, from Dalecarlia, and, in consequence, it had now performed a journey of one hundred and sixty or one hundred and seventy miles. The good woman was also the bearer of several other letters, one containing

a few rix-dollars, which, as I was almost aground for money, proved a very seasonable supply.

We subsequently went in pursuit of both these bears; they had, however, been previously much hunted by the peasants, and necessarily rendered exceedingly wild: from this cause, coupled with the state of the snow consequent on the advanced period of the season, and the want of a good dog, all our endeavours to kill them proved unavailing. This being the case, I shall go into but few details.

Prior to starting in pursuit of these beasts, I sent my sledge, and such parts of my baggage as I could possibly spare, (reserving only as much as two people could carry with facility,) back to Lapp-cottage, with my landlady. This I did from thinking it probable we might remain in the interior for some little time longer, when, from the near approach of spring, it became very uncertain when the frost might break up, and the route homewards would, in consequence, become impassable to any kind of vehicle. By adopting this course, we were left at liberty to roam the forest in any direction we pleased; for, on our skidor, we could skim over rivers, lakes, or the most precipitous mountains with every facility.

The weather for the greater part of the month of March had been rather mild, so unlike what is commonly the case in the northern parts of Scandinavia at that period of the year; in that

time, we experienced little besides a succession of heavy gales of wind; but the winter was not yet at an end, for, on the 1st of April, the frost once more set in with much rigour; the temperature, indeed, was so severe for the succeeding ten or twelve days, as almost to make me think that it was December or January, instead of that genial month. What the degree of cold might be, I was nevertheless unable to ascertain, as, along with my baggage, I had sent two of my three thermometers to Lapp-cottage: the one that remained was unfortunately only graduated to twenty-six degrees below the point of congelation; but on exposing this to the air, during either morning or evening, the quicksilver usually dropped in the ball.

We gave chase to the Lutenäs bear in the first instance, that being nearest to Aspberg. This fellow gave us two or three very severe runs : one day, in particular, when the snow was in capital order for our skidor, I think we could not have driven him less than between forty and fifty miles.

We were in pursuit, at intervals, of this bear for about a fortnight; sometimes we lost him in consequence of his tracks being obliterated by the wind; whilst at others, the snow was in so unfavourable a state for our skidor, that we did not deem it advisable to rouse him. In that while we drove him over a vast tract of the Norwegian and Dalecarlian forests. At one time, I

think he could hardly have been less than fifty miles from the point where we originally started him.

Though we pressed several people as well as dogs into our service during the period I speak of, we were never fortunate enough to get a shot at this bear. Indeed, it was on but one occasion that we viewed the fellow in the distance.

Whilst following this bear, we quartered ourselves, as the chasse led us, at various places in the forest. Once at a small hamlet called Galläsen, situated within the Norwegian frontier, about fourteen miles to the northward of Lutenäs. Mr. Tank, of Frederickshall, who is well known to many of our countrymen for his unbounded hospitality, is possessed of a very large tract of forest in the vicinity of this place. He had an agent residing there, a Mr. Quesling, from whom I received a hearty welcome, and the best that his house afforded.

In another instance, we took up our quarters, for a short time, at Flermön, a small hamlet consisting of three families, situated in the wilds of the Norwegian forest, at about ten miles to the eastward of Galläsen. Here we met with tolerable accommodation, the peasant, at whose house we remained, being in most comfortable circumstances. He had a large and fine family; among the rest several blooming daughters: one of these was married to a young peasant,