A native also of the northern division of America, and more particularly of that extensive tract1 of country which constitutes the newly erected2 State of Missouri, the Grizzly3 Bear differs in many striking points, both of character and habits, from the subject of the preceding article, as well as from every other animal of the very natural group of which he forms part. By his elongated4, narrowed, and flattened5 muzzle6, added to the slight elevation7 of his forehead, he is closely connected with the Black Bear of America, and as remarkably9 distinguished10 from the common Brown Bear of Europe, and from the White Bear of the polar regions, which last, in[122] size and general form, offers perhaps the nearest approximation to the present species. But his enormous magnitude, which may be stated as averaging twice the bulk of the Black Bear; the greatly increased size and power of his canine11 teeth; and, above all, the excessive length of his talons12, on the fore8 feet especially, afford characteristic differences so obvious and so essential, that it is difficult to conceive how they could have been so long overlooked by naturalists13 as well as travellers, who have all, until within little more than twenty years of the present time, passed him over without even a casual hint that he presented any claims to be considered as distinct from the common species of his country.
His hair, generally speaking, is longer, finer, and more abundant than that of the Black Bear, and varies in colour to an almost indefinite extent, passing through all the intermediate shades between a light gray and a black brown. The brown tinge14 is, however, the most common; and it is always more or less grizzled either by the intermixture of grayish hairs, or by the brown hairs being tipped with gray. The hair of the legs and feet is darker and coarser, and diminishes in length as it descends16; on the muzzle it becomes remarkably pale, and is so much shortened as to give to the animal an appearance of baldness. His eyes are very small and hardly at all prominent; and the line of the profile is consequently nearly straight. His tail is scarcely visible, being almost entirely17 concealed18 by the long hairs which surround it. Of the great size of his feet and talons, some judgment19 may be formed from the measurements given by Captains Lewis and Clarke, the first travellers by whom the Grizzly Bear was accurately20 described.[123] These gentlemen inform us that the breadth of the fore foot in one of the individuals observed by them exceeded nine inches, while the length of his hind21 foot, exclusive of the talons, was eleven inches and three quarters, and its breadth seven inches. The claws of the fore feet of another specimen22 measured more than six inches. The latter are considerably23 longer and less curved than those of the hind feet, and do not narrow in a lateral24 direction as they approach their extremity25, but diminish only from beneath: the point is consequently formed by the shelving of the inferior surface alone, their breadth remaining the same throughout the whole of their enormous length, and their power being proportionally increased; an admirable provision for enabling the animal to exercise to the fullest extent his propensity26 for digging up the ground, either in search of food or for other purposes. It appears, however, on the other hand, to unfit him for climbing trees, which he never attempts; and this remarkable27 circumstance in his habits affords a striking distinction between him and all the other Bears, which are essentially28 climbers.
Of all the quadrupeds which inhabit the northern regions of the American continent, the Grizzly Bear is unquestionably the most formidable and the most dreaded30. Superior to the rest of his tribe, not excepting even the polar species, in bulk, in power, in agility31, and in the ferocity of his disposition32, it is not to be wondered at that he should be regarded by the native Indians with an almost superstitious33 terror, and that some portion of this feeling should have been communicated even to the civilized34 travellers, who have occasionally met with him in the wild and desolate35 regions which are subject to his devastations. In the Journals of some of these[124] travellers we find recorded such astonishing instances of his strength, ferocity, and extraordinary tenacity36 of life as would indeed amaze us, were we not aware how much the human mind is prone37, under certain circumstances, to fall into exaggeration, in many cases most certainly unintentional. Making, however, all due allowances for the existence of this very natural feeling, we are bound to acknowledge that there are few animals who can compete with this terrible beast; and that to be made the object of his pursuit is an occurrence well calculated to alarm the stoutest38 heart, even when provided with the most certain and deadly weapons of human invention, guided by the most experienced eye, and directed by the steadiest hand.
This tremendous animal appears to be most commonly found in the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains, especially on the well wooded plains which skirt the eastern declivity39 of that lofty and extensive range, among thick copses of brush and underwood, and on the banks of the water-courses which descend15 in innumerable petty streams from their sources in the hills. In these wild solitudes40, rarely trodden by the foot of civilized man, and visited only by the savage41 Indians of the neighbouring tribes, who have not yet learned to bow the neck beneath the yoke42 of the exterminating43 conqueror44, he reigns45 the almost undisputed tyrant46 of the forest. Few among the animals which share with him his barbarous habitation are fleet enough to escape him in the chase; and none, when fairly placed within his reach, are powerful enough to withstand his overwhelming force. Even the sturdy and formidable Bison, the wild bull of North America, is incapable47 of offering any effectual resistance to the furious impetuosity of his attack; and[125] an illustration of the extent of his muscular power is afforded by the fact that after having destroyed his victim, he will drag its ponderous48 carcase to some convenient spot, where he will dig a pit for its reception, and deposit it for a season, returning to his feast from time to time as the calls of hunger may dictate49, until his store is exhausted50 and he is again reduced to the necessity of looking abroad for a fresh supply.
But although endowed with so strong a propensity for animal food, as well as with the power to gratify the appetite thus grafted51 in his very nature, he is not, like the more perfect of the carnivorous tribe, left entirely dependent upon that which, in the climate in which he has been placed, must of necessity be a precarious52, and frequently even an impossible, source of subsistence. Of a more fierce and sanguinary temper than the other bears, he does not hesitate to attack whatever living creature may fall in his way, and man himself seems to inspire him with little dread29: but in the absence of his favourite food, he makes a less savoury, but equally congenial, meal of vegetable substances, of fruits, or more commonly of roots, the latter of which he digs up with the greatest facility with his enormous claws; and in some parts of the country these more simple productions form almost his sole subsistence. On the quality of his food depends much of the ferocity of his temper; for it appears that the bears of the western side of the Rocky Mountains, who live almost entirely upon vegetables, are of a much less fierce and savage disposition than their fellows of the eastern side, where animal food is more abundant and more easily procured53.
Next to his great size and excessive ferocity, one of[126] the most striking peculiarities54 of this animal is his extreme tenacity of life. For the instances of this we are indebted almost wholly to the narrative55 of the Travels of Captains Lewis and Clarke, whose statements are no doubt founded in truth, although it may be suspected that they require to be received with some grains at least of allowance. According to these gentlemen one bear which had received five shots in his lungs, and five other wounds in various parts of his body, swam a considerable distance to a sand bank in the river, and survived more than twenty minutes; another that had been shot through the centre of the lungs, pursued at full speed the man by whom the wound was inflicted56 for half a mile, then returned more than twice that distance, dug himself a bed two feet deep and five feet long, and was perfectly57 alive two hours after he received the wound; and a third, although actually shot through the heart, ran at his usual pace nearly a quarter of a mile before he fell. There is no chance, they add, of killing58 him by a single shot, unless the ball goes directly through the brain; a single hunter runs consequently no little risk in venturing to attack an animal upon whom the most dangerous wounds, if not instantaneously fatal, produce no obvious immediate59 effects.
Notwithstanding the horror with which the natives regard this animal, it is said that they sometimes succeed in rendering60 him tame; and a whimsical story is told by the late Governor Clinton, on the authority of an Indian trader, of an insult offered to a domesticated61 bear of this species by an Indian of a different tribe from that to which the master of the bear belonged, being regarded as a national affront62, and producing a[127] war between the two tribes. The same veracious63 trader, it should be added, did not scruple64 to affirm that the Grizzly Bear had actually been seen fourteen feet long: the greatest measurement given on any credible65 authority being somewhat less than nine feet. It may, however, well be doubted whether the Grizzly Bear is capable of being domesticated; for it would appear that all the known attempts that have hitherto been made to render him docile66 and obedient have completely failed. In the narrative of Major Long’s expedition, Mr. Say has given some particulars relative to the manners of a half-grown individual which was kept chained in the yard of one of the stations of the Missouri Fur Company; but which, though far from having attained67 his full strength, was by no means trusted even by those who were most familiar with him. They occasionally ventured to play with him; but this was always done with caution and reserve; and when, as was sometimes the case, he chanced to break loose from his confinement68, the whole establishment was thrown into a state of confusion and alarm. The same gentleman also gives the history of two individuals which were presented when very young to the Philadelphia Museum, where they were kept for several years confined in a strong cage; until at length their strength and ferocity, which no kind of treatment appeared capable of subduing69, had reached such a pitch that it was found absolutely necessary to destroy them.
In no respect has the subject of the present notice, whose portrait admirably illustrates70 the peculiarities of his species, degenerated71 from the race of which he appears to be the sole representative in Europe. He[128] was presented to his late majesty72, more than seventeen years ago, by the Hudson’s Bay Company, and has long been the oldest inhabitant of the Tower Menagerie. The name of Martin, which was originally bestowed73 upon him, in imitation probably of that of the most celebrated74 bear ever exhibited in Europe, has consequently been of late years generally preceded by the epithet75 of antiquity76, and Old Martin has become under that title almost as well known as his famous namesake. His size is far superior to that of any other bear that has ever been seen in this quarter of the globe; and his ferocity, in spite of the length of time during which he has been a prisoner, and of all the attempts that have been made to conciliate him, still continues undiminished. He does not offer the slightest encouragement to familiarity on the part of his keepers, but treats them with as much distance as the most perfect strangers; and although he will sometimes appear playful and good tempered, yet they know him too well to trust themselves within his clutch.
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1
tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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6
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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7
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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8
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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9
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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10
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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11
canine
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| adj.犬的，犬科的 | |
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talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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13
naturalists
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| n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者 | |
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14
tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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15
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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16
descends
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| v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜 | |
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17
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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18
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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21
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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24
lateral
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| adj.侧面的，旁边的 | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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27
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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30
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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31
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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32
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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34
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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35
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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36
tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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37
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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stoutest
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| 粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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declivity
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| n.下坡，倾斜面 | |
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40
solitudes
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| n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方 | |
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41
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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42
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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43
exterminating
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| v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的现在分词 ) | |
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44
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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45
reigns
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| n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 )；君主统治时期；任期；当政期 | |
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46
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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47
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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48
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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49
dictate
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| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
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50
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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51
grafted
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| 移植( graft的过去式和过去分词 )； 嫁接； 使（思想、制度等）成为（…的一部份）； 植根 | |
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52
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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53
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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54
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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55
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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56
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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58
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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59
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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60
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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61
domesticated
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| adj.喜欢家庭生活的；（指动物）被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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63
veracious
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| adj.诚实可靠的 | |
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64
scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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docile
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| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
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67
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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68
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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69
subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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70
illustrates
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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71
degenerated
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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73
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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75
epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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