The Spring" and Summer of 189^. 451 



was to relieve Blessing, now joined him, and they both 

 stood watching the animal intently. Presently it got up, 

 so there was no longer any doubt as to what it was. 

 Each got hold of a rifle and crept stealthily towards the 

 forecastle, where they waited quietly while the bear 

 cautiously approached the ship, making long tacks 

 against the wind. A fresh breeze was blowing, and the 

 windmill going round at full speed ; but this did not 

 alarm him at all ; very likely it was this very thing he 

 wanted to examine. At last he reached the lane in 

 front, when they both fired and he fell down dead on the 

 spot. It was nice to get fresh meat again. This was 

 the first bear we had shot this year, and of course we 

 had roast bear for dinner to-day. Regular winter with 

 snow r storms." 



" Wednesday, August 29th. A fresh wind ; it rattles 

 and pipes in the rigging aloft. An enlivening- change 

 and no mistake ! The snow drifts as if it were mid- 

 winter. Fine August weather ! But we are bearing- 

 north again, and we have need to ! Yesterday our 

 latitude was 80 5 3 '5'. This evening I was standing in 

 the hold at work on my new bamboo kayak, which will 

 be the very acme of lightness. Pettersen happened to 

 come down and o-ave me a hand with some lashino-s 



o o 



that I was busy with. We chatted a little about things 

 in general ; and he was of opinion ' that we had a good 

 crib oi it on board the Frani, because here we had 

 everything- we wanted, and she was a devil of a ship- 



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