greatest diversion imaginable. As the bear is a heavy, clumsy creature,
and does not gallop as the wolf does, which is swift and light; so he
has two particular qualities, which generally are the rule of his
actions: first, as to men, who are not his proper prey, I say not his
proper prey, because though I can't say what excessive hunger might do,
which was now their case, the ground being all covered with snow; yet as
to men, he does not usually attempt them, unless they first attack him;
on the contrary, if you meet him in the woods, if you don't meddle with
him, he won't meddle with you; yet then you must take care to be very
civil to him, and give him the road; for he is a very nice gentleman, he
won't go a step out of the way for a prince; nay, if you are really
afraid, your best way is to look another way, and keep going on; for
sometimes, if you stop, and stand still, and look steadfastly at him, he
takes it for an affront; and if you throw or toss any thing at him, and
it hits him, though it were but a bit of stick as big as your finger, he
takes it for an affront, and sets all other business aside to pursue his
revenge; for he will have satisfaction in point of honour, and this is
his first quality; the next is, that if he be once affronted, he will
never leave you, night or day, till he has his revenge, but follow at a
good round rate till he overtakes you.

My man Friday had delivered our guide, and when we came up to him, he
was helping him off from his horse; for the man was both hurt and
frighted, and indeed the last more than the first; when, on a sudden, we
espied the bear come out of the wood, and a very monstrous one it was,
the biggest by far that ever I saw: we were all a little surprised when
we saw him; but when Friday saw him, it was easy to see joy and courage
in the fellow's countenance: "O! O! O!" says Friday, three times,
pointing to him, "O master! you give me te leave, me shakee te hand with
him, me makee you good laugh."