186 



PARRY'S POLAR VOYAGE. 



though attempts were made to draw him within gi*n- 

 shot, he escaped unharmed. But, on the 4th, ', fa* ' ear 



POLAR BEAR. 



was shot by Lieut. Ross ; and " the men were frying 

 steaks, during the whole day, over a large fire made of 

 the blubber." To some the consequence of their indul- 

 gence was an indigestion. On the 10th another bear 

 was killed ; " and our encampment," says Parry, 

 " became so like an Esquimaux establishment that we 

 were obliged to shift our place upoa the floe in the 

 course of the day, for the sake of cleanliness and com- 

 fort." 



At length, on the llth of August, Parry and his party 

 heard the sound of the surge breaking against the exte- 

 rior margin of the great icy field. They were soon 

 launched on the open sea, and reached Table Island, 

 irhere a supply of bread had been deposited ; but Bruin 



