NANSEN'S MEMORABLE VOYAGE IN THE "FRAM" 379 



the meat. But the rest was scarcely idleness, for they were visited 

 by three bears, all of which also fell under bullets. They now had 

 abundance of food, both for themselves and the dogs, to last a few 

 weeks if they did not come in sight of land. Two days later, how- 

 ever, they saw it, lying ahead of them, and they pushed on till a 

 wide, open channel stopped them. 



It was evident that the kayaks would have to be used in getting 

 across, and they were taken from the sledges and examined. The 

 result of the rough handling they had undergone in the journey over 

 the ice was manifest in many a crack and hole in the skin-covering, 

 but how to repair them was a question which taxed even the 

 ingenuity and enterprise of the two intrepid Norsemen. They had 

 enough skins to make patches, and twine with which to stitch them 

 on. It was the making of some waterproof coating for the stitch- 

 holes that puzzled them. They possessed a little train-oil, and by 

 fixing up an arrangement over their spirit cooking stove, they 

 obtained a little soot, which was mixed with the oil and used as 

 paint. It was not a very artistic compound, but it was the best they 

 could make, and it kept the water out. Then the kayaks were care- 

 fully fastened together by the ski, and upon them was laid the 

 sledges and the stores. 



When everything had been made fast, the explorers prepared 

 to launch them. Johansen was behind Nansen, and stooping down, 

 when he heard something moving at his back. Thinking it was one 

 of the dogs, he did not look round, and the next thing he knew was 

 that something hit him beside the head, so that, in his own words, 

 "he saw fireworks." He fell forward, and immediately felt a heavy 

 body upon him. He managed to turn partly round, and saw just 

 above his face the head of a huge bear. 



Nansen, ignorant of what had occurred, was bending over his 

 end of the kayak, when he heard Johansen exclaim, "Get a gun." 

 Glancing round, he saw his comrade lying under the bear, gripping 

 its throat with both hands. With everything securely tied to the 



