80 CAPTURE A BEAR. \AugUSt, 



However, I shall now dismiss this subject with Cape 

 Riley. Fossils abound there, particularly fine specimens 

 of the lily encrinite, but the operation was too laborious 

 to procure any connected specimens, the rock splitting to 

 pieces under the slightest concussion. 



Moving on towards Gascoigne Inlet, we noticed a bear 

 in distress, that is, puzzled, not knowing how to proceed 

 without confronting us. They are not courageous beasts, 

 and fly from man, if escape is ever open ; but this poor 

 unfortunate gentleman was perched at the top of a steep 

 debris chute, which had a steeply inclined corresponding 

 glacier on its left. There he stood, as we suddenly came 

 upon him, and most uneasy were his movements, he 

 paced his quarter-deck in agony. Captain Kellett and 

 myself landed ; we both fired from below, and wounded 

 him ; I then ascended by the debris, backed by my 

 boat's crew, with boat-hooks, etc., and got upon his level, 

 when one ball settled his fate. Poor stupid creature ! 

 never call them cunning more'! His den was beneath 

 him, under this glacier, where he might have snugly en- 

 sconced himself and laughed at us ; and into this refuge 

 did he now try to crawl, as he received his death-wound. 

 We should have been glad of the aid of Gordon Cuni- 

 ining to extricate this monster, as it was no easy matter 

 to pull him out by the hair of his hinder extremities ; 

 however, having got hold of one hind leg, he was soon 

 gliding down the face of the glacier, faster than on any 

 " montagne Russe," leaving us very little trouble to get 

 him over the remaining ice into the boat. 



Our examination of Gascoigne Bay did not prove satis- 

 factory. There was not sufficient depth of water for the 



