I have been off hunting and fishing a month, up in the region that she
calls Buffalo; I don’t know why, unless it is because there are not any
buffaloes there. Meantime the bear has learned to paddle around all by
itself on its hind legs, and says “poppa” and “momma.” It is certainly
a new species. This resemblance to words may be purely accidental, of
course, and may have no purpose or meaning; but even in that case it is
still extraordinary, and is a thing which no other bear can do. This
imitation of speech, taken together with general absence of fur and
entire absence of tail, sufficiently indicates that this is a new kind
of bear. The further study of it will be exceedingly interesting.
Meantime I will go off on a far expedition among the forests of the
North and make an exhaustive search. There must certainly be another
one somewhere, and this one will be less dangerous when it has company
of its own species. I will go straightway; but I will muzzle this one
first.