is not only a discord between these beasts and Elephants for their food,
but a natural description and enmity: for it is confidently affirmed,
that when the Rhinoceros which was at _Lisborne_, was brought into the
presence of an Elephant, the Elephant ran away from him. How and what
place he overcometh the Elephant, we have shewed already in his story,
namely, how he fastneth his horne in the soft part of the Elephantes
belly. He is taken by the same meanes that the _Unicorne_ is taken, for
it is said by _Albertus_, _Isodorus_, and _Alumnus_, that above all
other creatures they love Virgins, and that unto them they will come be
they never so wilde, and fall a sleepe before them, so being asleepe
they are easily taken, and carried away. All the later Physitians do
attribute the vertue of the _Unicorn’s_ horne to the _Rhinocereos_
horn.”
Ser Marco Polo, speaking of Sumatra, or, as he called it, Java the Less,
says in that island there are numerous unicorns. “They have hair like
that of a buffalo, feet like those of an elephant, and a horn in the
middle of the forehead, which is black and very thick. They do no
mischief, however, with the horn, but with the tongue alone; for this is
covered all over with long and strong prickles, (and when savage with
any one they crush him under their knees, and then rasp him with their
tongue). The head resembles that of a wild boar, and they carry it ever
bent towards the ground. They delight much to abide in mire and mud.
’Tis a passing ugly beast to look upon, and is not in the least like
that which our stories tell us of as being caught in the lap of a
virgin; in fact, ’tis altogether different from what we fancied.”
THE GULO.
[Illustration]
Olaus Magnus thus describes the Gulo or Gulon:--“Amongst all creatures
that are thought to be insatiable in the Northern parts of _Sweden_, the
_Gulo_ hath his name to be the principall; and in the vulgar tongue they
call him _Jerff_, but in the _German_ language _Vielfras_; in the
Sclavonish speech _Rossamaka_, from his much eating, and the Latin name
is _Gulo_, for he is so called from his gluttony. He is as great as a
great Dog, and his ears and face are like a Cat’s: his feet and nails
are very sharp; his body is hairy, with long brown hair, his tail is
like the Foxes, but somewhat shorter, but his hair is thicker, and of
this they make brave Winter Caps. Wherefore this Creature is the most
voracious; for, when he finds a carcasse, he devours so much, that his
body, by over-much meat, is stretched like a Drum, and finding a
streight (_narrow_) passage between Trees, he presseth between them,
that he may discharge his body by violence; and being thus emptied, he
returns to the carcasse, and fills himself top full; and then he
presseth again through the same narrow passage, and goes back to the
carkasse, till he hath devoured it all; and then he hunts eagerly for
another. It is supposed he was created by nature to make men blush, who
eat and drink till they spew, and then feed again, eating day and night,
as _Mechovita_ thinks in his _Sarmatia_. The flesh of this Creature is
altogether uselesse for man’s food; but his skin is very commodious and
pretious. For it is of a white brown black colour, like a damask cloth
wrought with many figures; and it shews the more beautiful, as by the
Industry of the Artist it is joyn’d with other garments in the likenesse
or colour. Princes and great men use this habit in Winter, made like
Coats; because it quickly breeds heat, and holds it long; and that not
onely in _Swethland_, and _Gothland_, but in _Germany_, where the rarity
of these skins makes them to be more esteemed, when it is prised in
ships among other Merchandise.
“The Inhabitants are not content to let these skins be transported into
other Countries, because, in Winter, they use to entertain their more
noble guests in these skins; which is a sufficient argument that they
think nothing more comely and glorious, than to magnifie at all times,
and in all orders their good guests, and that in the most vehement cold,
when amongst other good turns they cover their beds with these skins.
“And I do not think fit to overpasse, that when men sleep under these
skins, they have dreams that agree with the nature of that Creature, and
have an insatiable stomach, and lay snares for other Creatures, and
prevent them themselves. It may be that it is as they that eat hot
Spices, Ginger or Pepper seem to be inflamed; and they that eat Sugar
seem to be choked in water. There seems to be another secret of Nature
in it, that those who are clothed in those Skins, seem never to be
satisfied.
“The guts of this Creatures are made into strings for Musicians, and
give a harsh sound, which the Natives take pleasure in; but these,
tempered with sweet sounding strings, will make very good Musick. Their
hoofs made like Circles, and set upon heads subject to the Vertigo, and
ringing ears, soon cure them. The Hunters drink the blood of this beast
mingled with hot water; also seasoned with the best Honey, it is drunk
at Marriages. The fat, or tallow of it, smeered on putrid Ulcers for an
ointment is a sudden cure. Charmers use the teeth of it. The hoofs,
newly taken off, will drive away Cats and Dogs, if they do but see it,
as birds fly away, if they spy but the Vultur or the Bustard.
“By the Hunter’s various Art, this Creature is taken onely in regard of
his pretious skin; and the way is this;--They carry into the wood a
fresh Carkasse; where these beasts are wont to be most commonly;
especially in the deep snows (for in Summer their skins are nothing
worth) when he smels this he falls upon it, and eats till he is forced
to crush his belly close between narrow trees, which is not without
pain; the Hunter, in the mean time, shoots, and kills him with an arrow.
“There is another way to catch this Beast, for they set Trees, bound
asunder with small cords, and these fly up when they eat the Carkasse,
and strangle them; or else he is taken, falling into pits dug upon one
side, if the Carkasse be cast in, and he is compelled by hunger to feed
upon it. And there is hardly any other way to catch him with dogs, since
his claws are so sharp, that dogs dare not encounter with him, that
fear not to set upon the most fierce Wolves.”
Of this animal Topsell says:--“This beast was not known by the ancients,
but hath bin since discovered in the Northern parts of the world, and
because of the great voracity thereof, it is called _Gulo_, that is, a
devourer; in imitation of the Germans, who call such devouring Creatures
_Vilsruff_, and the Swedians _Cerff_, and in _Lituania_ and _Muscovia_
it is called _Rossomokal_. It is thought to be engendered by a _Hyæna_
and a _Lionesse_, for in quality it resembleth a _Hyæna_, and it is the
same which is called _Crocuta_: it is a devouring and unprofitable
creature having sharper teeth than other creatures. Some thinke it is
derived from a wolf and a dog, for it is about the bignesse of a dog. It
hath the face of a Cat, the body and taile of a Foxe; being black of
colour; his feet and nailes be most sharp, his skin rusty, the haire
very sharp, and it feedeth upon dead carkases.”
He then describes its manner of feeding, evidently almost literally
copying Olaus Magnus, and thus continues:--“There are of these beastes
two kindes, distinguished by coulour, one blacke, and the other like a
Wolfe: they seldom kill a man or any live beastes, but feede upon
carrion and dead carkasses, as is before saide, yet, sometimes, when
they are hungry, they prey upon beastes, as horses and such like, and
then they subtlely ascend up into a tree, and when they see a beast
under the same, they leape downe upon him and destroy him. A Beare is
afraide to meete them, and unable to match them, by reason of their
sharpe teeth.
“This beast is tamed, and nourished, in the courts of Princes, for no
other cause than for an example of incredible voracitie. When he hath
filled his belly, if he can find no trees growing so neare another, as
by sliding betwixte them, hee may expell his excrements, then taketh he
an Alder-tree, and with his forefeete rendeth the same asunder, and
passeth through the middest of it, for the cause aforesaid. When they
are wilde, men kill them with bowes and guns, for no other cause than
for their skins, which are pretious and profitable, for they are white
spotted, changeably interlined like divers flowers, for which cause the
greatest princes, and richest nobles use them in garments in the Winter
time; such are the Kings of _Polonia_, _Swede-land_, _Goat-land_, and
the princes of _Germany_. Neither is there any skinne which will sooner
take a colour, or more constantly retaine it. The outward appearance of
the saide skinne is like to a damaskt garment, and besides this outward
parte there is no other memorable thing woorthy observation in this
ravenous beast, and therefore, in _Germany_, it is called a foure-footed
Vulture.”
As a matter of fact, the Glutton or Wolverine, which is not unlike a
small bear, can consume (while in confinement) thirteen pounds of meat
in a day. In its wild state, if the animal it has killed is too large
for present consumption, it carries away the surplus, and stores it up
in a secure hiding-place, for future eating.
THE BEAR.
As Pliny not only uses all Aristotle’s matter anent Bears, but puts it
in a consecutive, and more readable form, it is better to transcribe his
version than that of the older author.
“Bears couple in the beginning of winter. The female then retires by
herself to a separate den, and then brings forth, on the thirtieth day,
mostly five young ones. When first born, they are shapeless masses of
white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being
prominent. The mother then licks them into proper shape.[34] The male
remains in his retreat for forty days, the female four months. If they
happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and
shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain, and is lined with soft
leaves. During the first fourteen days they are overcome by so deep a
sleep, that they cannot be aroused by wounds even. They become
wonderfully fat, too, while in this lethargic state. This fat is much
used in medicine, and it is very useful in preventing the hair from
falling off.[35] At the end of these fourteen days they sit up, and find
nourishment by sucking their fore paws. They warm their cubs, when cold,
by pressing them to the breast, not unlike the way in which birds brood
over their eggs. It is a very astonishing thing, but Theophrastus
believes it, that if we preserve the flesh of the bear, the animal being
killed in its dormant state, it will increase in bulk, even though it
may have been cooked. During this period no signs of food are to be
found in the stomach of the animal, and only a very slight quantity of
liquid; there are a few drops of blood only, near the heart, but none
whatever in any other part of the body. They leave their retreat in the
spring, the males being remarkably fat; of this circumstance, however,
we cannot give any satisfactory explanation, for the sleep, during which
they increase so much in bulk, lasts, as we have already stated, only
fourteen days. When they come out, they eat a certain plant, which is
known as _Aros_, in order to relax the bowels, which would otherwise
become in a state of constipation; and they sharpen the edges of their
teeth against the young shoots of the trees.
“Their eyesight is dull, for which reason in especial, they seek the
combs of bees, in order that from the bees stinging them in the throat,
and drawing blood, the oppression in the head may be relieved. The head
of the bear is extremely weak, whereas, in the lion, it is remarkable
for its strength: on which account it is, that when the bear, impelled
by any alarm, is about to precipitate itself from a rock, it covers its
head with its paws. In the arena of the Circus they are often to be seen
killed by a blow on the head with the fist. The people of Spain have a
belief, that there is some kind of magical poison in the brain of the
bear, and therefore burn the heads of those that have keen killed in
their public games; for it is averred, that the brain, when mixed with
drink, produces, in man, the rage of the bear.
“These animals walk on two feet, and climb trees backwards. They can
overcome the bull, by suspending themselves, by all four legs, from his
muzzle and horns, thus wearing out its powers by their weight. In no
other animal is stupidity found more adroit in devising mischief.”
Olaus Magnus, in writing about bears, gives precedence to the white, or
Arctic bear, and gives an insight into the religious life of the old
Norsemen, who, when converted, thought their most precious things none
too good for the “Church.” If we consider the risk run in obtaining a
white bear’s skin, and the privations and cold endured in getting it, we
may look upon it as a Norse treasure. “Silver and Gold have I none; but
such as I have, give I unto thee.” He gives a short, but truthful
account of their habits, and winds up his all too brief narration
thus:--“These white Bear Skins are wont to be offered by the Hunters,
for the high Altars of Cathedrals, or Parochial Churches, that the
Priest celebrating Mass standing, may not take cold of his feet, when
the Weather is extream cold. In the Church at _Nidrosum_, which is the
Metropolis of the Kingdom of _Norway_, every year such white Skins are
found, that are faithfully offered by the Hunters Devotion, whensoever
they take them, and Wolves-Skins to buy Wax-Lights, and to burn them in
honour of the Saints.”
Olaus Magnus is very veracious in his dealings with White Bears, but he
morally retrogrades when he touches upon the Black and Brown Bears. The
illustrations of this portion of Olaus Magnus are exceedingly graphic.
In treating of the cunning used in killing bears, he says:--“In killing
black and cruel Bears in the Northern Kingdoms, they use this way,
namely, that when, in Autumn the Bear feeds on certain red ripe Fruit
(_Query Cranberries_) on trees that grow in Clusters like Grapes, either
going up into the Trees, or standing on the ground, and pulling down the
Trees, the cunning Hunter, with broad Arrows from a Crosse-bow shoots
at him, and these pierce deep; and he is so suddenly moved with this
fright, and wound received, that he presently voids backward all the
Fruit he ate, as Hailstones; and presently runs upon an Image of a man
made of wood, that is set purposely before him, and rends and tears
that, till another Arrow hit him, that gives him his death’s wound, shot
by the Hunter that hides himself behind some Stone or Tree. For when he
hath a wound, he runs furiously, at the sight of his blood, against all
things in his way, and especially the Shee-Bear, when she suckleth her
Whelps.
[Illustration]
“The Bears watch diligently for the passing of Deer; and chiefly, the
Shee-Bear when she hath brought forth her Whelps; who not so much for
Hunger, as for fearing of losing her Whelps, is wont to fall cruelly
upon all she meets. For, she being provoked by any violence, far exceeds
the force of the He-Bear, and Craft, that she may revenge the loss of
her Young. For she lyes hid amongst the thick boughs of Trees, and
young Shoots; and if a Deer, trusting to the glory of his horns, or
quick smell, or swift running, come too neare that place unawares, she
suddenly falls out upon him to kill him; and if he first defend himself
with his horns, yet he is so tired with the knots and weight of them,
being driven by the rage of the Bear, that he is beaten to the ground,
that losing force and life, he falls down a prey to be devoured. Then
she will set upon the Bull with his horns, using the same subtilty, and
casts herself upon his back; and when the Bull strives with his horns to
cast off the Bear, and to defend himself, she fasteneth on his horns and
shoulders with her paws, till, weary of the weight he falls down dead.
Then laying the Bull on his back like a Wallet, she goes on two feet
into the secret places of the Woods to feed upon him. But when, in
Winter she is hunted, she is betrayed by Dogs, or by the prints of her
feet in the Snow, and can hardly escape from the Hunters that run about
her from all sides.”
[Illustration]
Magnus then retails the usual fables about bears licking their young
into shape, their building houses, &c., &c., after which he discourses
about the bear and hedgehog, a story which has nothing to do with the
picture. It is described as “the Battail between the Hedge-Hog, and the
Bear.”
[Illustration]
“Though the _Urchin_ have sharp pointed prickles, whereby he gathereth
Apples to feed on, and these he hides in hollow Trees, molesting the
_Bear_ in his Den: yet is he oppressed by the cunning and weight of the
_Bear_: namely when the Urchin roles himself up round as a ball, that
there is nothing but his prickles to come at: yet with this means he
cannot prevail against the _Bear_, which opens him, to revenge the wrong
he did her in violating her Lodging. Nor can the _Bear_ eat the
_Hedge-Hog_, it is such miserable poor and prickly meat. Wherefore
returning again into his Cave, he sleeps, and grows fat, living by
sucking his paw.
“The _Bears_ also fight against the _Bores_, but seldome get the
victory, because they can better defend themselves with their Tusks,
than the _Bull_ or the _Deer_ can by their Horns, or running swiftly.
The strong _Horses_ keep off the _Bears_ with their biting and kicking,
from the _Mares_ that are great with _Foals_. Young _Colts_ save
themselves by running, but they will always hold this fear, and so
become unprofitable for the Wars. Wherefore they use this stratagem:
some Souldier puts on a Bear’s skin, and meets them, by reason that they
are horses that the Bears have hunted.”
[Illustration]
The Northern Bears seem to have been wonderful creatures, for they used
to go mad after eating Mandragora, and then they were in the habit of
making a meal off ants, by way of recovering their sanity. They were
then, as now, noted for their love of honey, and this illustration
depicts them as coming out of, and going into the ground after bees and
honey; nay, it would seem as if they even invaded the barrels put up in
the trees to serve as hives. But man was more cunning than they, and a
good bear-skin in those cold regions, had a value far exceeding honey.
“Since that in the Northern Countries, especially _Podolia_, _Russia_,
and places adjacent, because of the great multitude of Bees, the Hives
at home will not contain them, the Inhabitants willingly let them fly
unto hollow Trees, made so by Nature, or by Art, that they may increase
there. Wherefore mortal stratagems are thus prepared for Bears, that use
to steal honey (for they having a most weak head, as a Lion hath the
strongest, for sometimes they will be killed with a blow under their
ear); namely a Woodden Club set round with Iron points is hung over the
hole the Bees come forth of, from some high bough, or otherwise; and
this, being cast upon the head of the greedy Bear that is going to steal
the honey, kills him striving against it; so he loseth his life, flesh,
and skin to the Master, for a little honey. Their flesh is salted up
like Hog’s flesh, Stag’s flesh, Elk’s, or Ranged deer’s flesh, to eat in
Camps, and the Tallow of them is good to cure any wounds.”
[Illustration]
Every one of my readers, who is not a Scotsman, will appreciate the
delicate musical taste of the bear, in the matter of bagpipes--Bruin
cannot stand the skirling, and, in the illustration, seems to be
remonstrating with the piper.
“It is well enough known that Bears, Dolphins, Stags, Sheep, Calves and
Lambs, are much delighted with Musick: and, again, they are to be driven
from their Heards by some harsh sounding Pipes, or Horns, that when they
hear the sound they will be gone into the Woods, a great way off. Now
the Shepheards of the Cattel know this well enough: they will play upon
their two horned Pipes continually, which sometimes are taken away by
Bears, until such time as the Bear is forced by Hunger to go away to get
his food. Wherefore they take a Goat’s Horn, and sometimes a Cow’s Horn,
and make such a horrid noise, that they scare the wild beasts, and so
return safe to their dispersed flocks. This two horned Pipe, which in
their tongue they call _Seec-Pipe_, they carry to the fields with them,
for they have learned by use, that their Flocks and Heards will feed the
better and closer together.
[Illustration]
“The _Russians_ and _Lithuanians_ are more near to the Swedes and Goths
on the Eastern parts: and these hold it a singular delight, to have
always the most cruel Beasts bred up tame with them, and made obedient
to their commands in all things. Wherefore to do this the Sooner, they
keep them in Caves, or tyed with Chains, chiefly Bears newly taken in
the Woods, and half starve them; and they appoint one or two Masters,
cloathed one like the other, to carry Victuals to them, that they may be
accustomed to play with them, and handle them when they are loose. Also
they play on Pipes sweetly, and with this they are much taken: and thus
they use them to sport and dance, and then, when the Pipes sound
differently, they are taught to lift up their legs, as by a more sharp
sign, to end the Dance with, that they may go on their hinder feet, with
a Cap in their fore feet, held out to the Women and Maids, and others
that saw them dance, and ask a reward for their dancing; and, if it is
not given freely, they will murmure, as they are directed by their
Master, and will nod their heads, as desiring them to give more money:
So the Master of these Bears, that cannot speak the language of other
countries, will get a good gain by his dumb Beast. Nor doth this seem to
be done onely because that these should live by this small gain; for the
Bearherds that lead these Bears, are, at least, ten or twelve lusty men;
and in their company, sometimes, there go Noblemen’s sons, that they may
learn the manners, fashions, and distances of places, the Military Arts,
and Concord of Princes, by these merry Pastimes. But since they were
found, in _Germany_, to spoil Travellers, and to cast them to their
Bears to eat, most strict Laws are made against them, that they may
never come there again.
“There is another Sport, when Bears taken, are put into a Ship, and shew
merry pastimes in going up and down the Ropes, and sometimes are
profitable for some unexpected accident. For Histories of the
Provincials mention, that it hapned, that one was thus freed from a
Pirate that was like to set upon him; for the Pirate coming on, was
frighted at it, when he saw afar off, men, as he supposed, going up and
down the Ropes, from the Top Mast, as the manner is to defend the Ship.
Whereas they were but young Bears, playing on the Ropes. But the most
pleasant sight of all is, that when the Bears look out of the Ship into
the Waters, a great number of Sea Calves will come and gaze upon them,
that you would think an innumerable Company of Hogs swam about the Ship,
and they are caught by the Sea men with long Spears, with Hooks, and a
Cord tyed to them; and so are also the other Beasts, that come to help
the Sea Calves, taken, and crying like to Hogs. Also the Bears are let
down to swim, that they may catch these wandering Sea-Calves, or else,
when it thunders, and the weather is tempestuous, they be taken above
Water.
[Illustration]
“But that tame Bears may not onely be kept unprofitably to feed, and
make sport, they are set to the Wheels in the Courts of great men, that
they may draw up Water out of deep Wells; and that in huge Vessels made
for this purpose, and they do not help alone this Way, but they are set
to draw great Waggons, for they are very strong in their Legs, Claws,
and Loins; nor is it unfit to make them go upright, and carry burdens of
Wood, and such like, to the place appointed, or they stand at great
men’s doors, to keep out other hurtful Creatures. When they are young,
they will play wonderfully with Boys, and do them no hurt.”