Polar Bear

White bear’s make’s in Land for the winter in September and October, where they harbour under Drift banks of snow and suck their paws. For three months in the winter, travelling about the rest of the time. Eating grass and mawse (moss), - in March and April they make down to the sea again with their young ones, breeding in the fall …

Place: Hudson’s Bay
Source: Isham J. 1949. Observations on Hudson Bay, 1743, and notes and observations on a book entitled A voyage to Hudson’s Bay in the Dobbs Galery, 1749. Toronto: Champlain Society. Edited with an introduction by E.E. Rich, assisted by A.M. Johnson.

 

Polar Bear Dens

Governor White of York fort told me that one winter they discovered an opening in the bank, and upon looking into it found a white bear. The beast in making this den had thrown up the earth behind her as she went in, with a design, they thought, of obliging herself to continue there the whole season of the frost, which had so hardened the earth, that only a complete thaw could deliver her … The governor communicated this story to an old Indian, and asked him, if it was common for the white bears that are big with young, as this proved to be, to bury themselves during the frost: he said no; but that when they do, it is with a design to stay in their holes till the frost is over, and they have brought forth their young …

Place: Churchill
Source: Robson J. 1752. An account of six years residence in Hudson’s Bay, from 1733 to 1736 and 1744 to 1747. London: Payne.