634 A BEAR SAVES THEIR LIVES. 



with snow squalls and sleet and finished with rain. 

 Rained all the night and until twelve o'clock to-day. 

 Still remains very thick. The ice in pash inclosed around 

 us. It appears to me we are the sport and jest of the 

 elements. The other night they played with us and our 

 boat as though we were shuttlecocks. Men would never 

 believe, nor could pen describe, the scenes we have passed 

 through and yet live. Here we are, half drowned, cold 

 and with no means of shelter. Everything wet and no 

 sun to dry it. The scene looks bad. Nothing to eat; 

 everything finished. Tf some relief does not come along. 

 I do not know what will become of us. Fearful thoughts 

 enter my head as to the future. Mr. Meyer is starving ; 

 he cannot last long in this state. Joe has been oft 1 on the 

 ice three times to-day, the little way he can get, but has 

 not seen anything. Chewed on a piece of skin this morn- 

 ing that was tanned and saved for clothing ; rather a 

 tough and tasteless breakfast. Joe ventured off on the 

 ice the fourth time, and after looking a good while from a 

 piece of iceberg, saw a bear coming slowly toward us. 

 He ran back as fast as possible for his gun. All of us 

 lay down and remained perfectly still, Joe and Hans 

 going out some distance to meet the bear. Getting behind 

 a hummock, they waited for him. Along came Bruin, 

 thinking he was coming to a meal instead of furnishing 

 one himself. Clack, bang! went two rifles, and down 

 went Bruin to save a starving lot of men. The Lord be 

 praised ! this is his heavenly work. We cannot catch 

 seal for the pack ice, and we are on a bad sealing ground. 

 He therefore sends a bear along where bears are seidon? 

 seen, and we certainly never expected to find one. The 

 poor bear was hungry himself; there was nothing in his 

 stomach. Joe, poor fellow, looked very much down on 

 our account. Everything looks bright again but the 

 atmosphere ; it looks threatening. 



" April 23. Wind east-northeast, and later in the day 



