Bruin Part 3

"Very essentially indeed. Were we to go first to North America, we should find no less than five species, or four species and one well-marked variety. To reach the native haunt of one of these--I mean the grizzly (_ursus ferox_)--we should have to go farther west than any part of the South American Andes: how, then, could we afterwards reach the spectacled bear without doubling back on our meridian?"

"True, brother--I see that, by looking on the map. You propose, then, steering first to South America, and afterwards to the northern division of the American continent?"

"We are compelled to do so, by the very nature of our contract. Having procured the skins of _ursus ornatus_ and another variety we shall find in the Andes, we can then travel almost due north. On the Mississippi we shall be able to pick up a skin of the American black bear (_ursus america.n.u.s_), and by the help of the Hudson's Bay _voyageurs_ we shall reach the sh.o.r.es of the great gulf in which that territory takes its name. There the 'polar bear' (_ursus maritimus_) can be found. Farther westward and northward we may hope to capture the 'barren ground bear,'

which the English traveller Sir John Richardson thinks is only a variety of our European brown bear, but which papa--and good reasons he has-- believes to be nothing of the kind. Crossing the Rocky Mountains, we shall be able, I hope, to knock over the famed and formidable grizzly (_ursus ferox_), and in Oregon, or British Columbia, we shall strip his hide from the 'cinnamon bear' (_ursus cinnamonus_), believed to be a variety of the American black. That will finish with the bears of America."

"Asia next, I suppose?"

"Yes, straight across to Kamschatka. There we shall meet with the 'Siberian,' or 'collared bear' (_ursus collaris_). Of these, two varieties are said to exist, one of which, specified by the name _ursus sibiricus_, is also found in Lapland and Siberia."

"Go on, brother! Where next?"

"From Kamschatka we shall make a long traverse to the south-west. Our best hunting-ground will be Borneo."

"Ah! the beautiful little bear with the orange-coloured breast!"

"Yes; that is the 'Bornean bear' (_ursus euryspilus_), or 'Bruang,' as he is called by the Malays."

"But there is another Bruang?"

"Yes--the 'Malayan sun-bear' (_ursus malagenus_). This we shall encounter in Sumatra or Java, whichever we choose to visit."

"Well, the list is much larger than I expected; certainly it has been wonderfully lengthened since the days of the good old Linnaeus."

"We have not reached the end yet."

"Where next, brother?"

"Up the Bay of Bengal, and on to the Himalayas. First in the foot-hills of these mountains we shall have to search for the curious 'sloth bear,'

or 'juggler's bear' (_ours de jongleurs_) as the French writers term him. He is the _ursus l.a.b.i.atus_ of naturalists; and we may find him in the plains of India, before reaching the Himalayas. Having skinned him, we shall proceed to climb the great mountains, and higher up we are certain to come across the 'Thibet bear' (_ursus thibeta.n.u.s_)--by some very erroneously described as being one of the numerous varieties of the European brown bear! Still higher up we shall, I hope, have the good luck to encounter and kill a specimen of the 'Isabella bear' (_ursus isabelinus_), so called from his colour, but termed by Anglo-Indian sportsmen the 'snow bear,' because he frequents the declivities near the snow-line of these stupendous mountains."

"That is all, is it not?"

"_No_, Ivan--one more, and that will be the last."

"What is he?"

"The 'Syrian' (_ursus syriacus_); and though the last in our catalogue, this is the very first on record: for they were bears of this species that came out of the wood and 'tare forty and two' of the mockers of the prophet Elisha. We shall have to visit Syria, to procure a skin of the _ursus syriacus_."

"Well, I hope their ferociousness has been tamed down since Elisha's time, else we may stand a fair chance of being served in a similar fas.h.i.+on."

"No doubt we shall have many a scratch before we encounter the bears of Mount Lebanon. When we have obtained a robe from one of them, there will be nothing more for us to do but take the most direct route home.

We shall then have gone _once round the world_."

"Ah, that we shall!" said Ivan, laughing; "and all over it too. Great Czar! I think by the time we have captured one of Elisha's bears, we shall have had a surfeit of travel."

"No doubt of it; but now, brother, that we know where we are going, let us waste no more time, but signify our acceptance of the conditions, and be off at once."

"Agreed," said Ivan; and both returning into the presence of the baron, announced their readiness to take the road.

"Are we to travel alone, papa?" inquired Ivan; "I think you spoke of an attendant?"

"Yes, one attendant. You must not be enc.u.mbered with too many servants to wait upon you. One will be quite sufficient."

"Who is it to be?" asked Ivan.

The baron rang the bell, and a servant entered.

"Send Corporal Pouchskin to me!"

Shortly after, the door reopened, and a man of about fifty appeared.

The tall well-balanced form and erect att.i.tude--the close-cropped hair and enormous grizzled moustache--combined with great gravity of features, denoted a veteran of the Imperial Guard,--one of those grand and redoubtable soldiers who have seen service in the presence of an emperor. Though no longer wearing the military uniform, but dressed somewhat as a park or game keeper, the silent salute and att.i.tude of "attention" were sufficiently indicative of the profession which Pouchskin had followed: for it was the veritable Pouchskin who had entered the apartment. He said not a word, nor did he look either to the right or left,--only directly forward, and at the baron.

"Corporal Pouchskin!"

"General!"

"I wish you to make a journey."

"I am ready."

"Not quite, corporal. I will give you an hour to prepare."

"Where does the general wish me to go?"

"Round the world."

"Half an hour will suffice."

"So much the better, then. Prepare to start in half an hour."

Pouchskin bowed and retired.

CHAPTER SIX.

TO THE TORNEA.

We shall not detail the parting interview between the Baron Grodonoff and his sons; there was the usual interchange of affectionate expressions, with as much feeling as is common on such occasions.

Neither need we relate the ordinary incidents of travel which befell our expeditionists, on their way to the mountains of Lapland. Suffice it to say that they journeyed by post from Saint Petersburg direct to Tornea, at the head of the Great Bothnian Gulf. Thence they proceeded northward up this river Tornea--till they had reached the mountainous region in which this stream takes its rise. They were amply furnished with the means of travelling in the most expeditious manner, and were not enc.u.mbered with any great amount of luggage. A bag of roubles, which Pouchskin carried in a safe pocket, proved the most convenient article they could have taken along with them; since it enabled them to supply their wants from day to day, without troubling themselves with any c.u.mbersome baggage. There are few parts of the world in which ready money will not command the necessaries of life; and as this was all our hunters cared for, they had no difficulty in obtaining supplies--even in the remote regions of uncivilised Lapland. The wild, half-savage Lap perfectly comprehends the value of a coin; and will exchange for it his reindeer flesh and milk, or anything else that may be asked from him.

Our young hunters therefore travelled lightly--with little else in the shape of baggage than a pair of knapsacks which they carried on their backs, and which contained only a change or two of linen, and such toilet articles as were absolutely necessary to their comfort. A knapsack of much larger dimensions formed the chief care of Pouchskin; and although this, with its contents, would have been a heavy load for an ordinary man, the veteran of the Imperial Guard thought no more of it than if it had been a bag of feathers. Each in addition carried an ample fur cloak; which, on the march, was folded up and strapped to their backs on top of the knapsack, but at night was wrapped around their bodies, and served both as bed and bedclothes. All three were armed and equipped, in the most substantial manner. They carried guns, though differing in kind. The piece of Alexis was a handsome Jager rifle; Ivan's was a double-barrelled shot-gun or fowling-piece; while Pouchskin balanced over his shoulder an immense fusil, the bullet of which weighed a good ounce avoirdupois. All were provided with a knife of one fas.h.i.+on or another.

In such guise did our young hunters enter the mountains of Lapland; and commence their search after the "old man in the fur coat," as the Laplanders term the bear.

They had taken proper measures to secure success. They had secured the services of a guide, who engaged to conduct them to a district where bears existed in great plenty, and where he himself lived in a state almost as savage as the bears--for he was a true Laplander and lived in a tent in the very heart of the mountains. He was one of those who had no reindeer; and was therefore forced to depend on the chase for his subsistence. He trapped the ermine and beaver--killed the wild reindeer when he could--spent his whole life in battling with wolves and bears; and with the skins of these animals--which he sold to the fur-traders-- he was able to supply himself with the few necessaries which such a state of existence called for.

Under his tent of coa.r.s.e _wadmal_ cloth the travellers found shelter, and such rude hospitality as the poor Lap could afford them--in return for which they had to live in the midst of a smoke that nearly put out their eyes. But they knew they had entered upon an expedition, in which many hards.h.i.+ps were to be expected; and they bore the inconvenience with becoming fort.i.tude.