A BEAR HUNT. 169 



They had much trouble in getting out of Hartstene 

 Bay, the water coining almost in to the land-ice. 

 Once outside, however, they had an easy run up the 

 coast to Fog Inlet, where one of the sledges broke 

 down, and they came upon open cracks which they 

 could not pass. After repairing the sledge as well as 

 they were able, they turned their faces homeward. 

 When a little way above Cape Hatherton, they struck 

 the trail of a couple of bears ; and, giving chase, the 

 animals were overtaken and captured. They proved 

 to be a mother and her cub. 



Sonntag has given me a lively description of the 

 chase. The bears were started from the margin of a 

 ridge of hummocked ice where they had been sleep- 

 ing ; and they made at once for the open cracks out- 

 side, distant about four miles. As soon as the dogs 

 discovered the trail, they dashed off upon it into the 

 hummocks, without waiting to be directed by their 

 drivers, and utterly regardless of the safety of the 

 sledges or of the persons seated upon them. The 

 hummocks were very high, and the passages between 

 them rough and tortuous. Had the bears kept to 

 them they might have baffled pursuit ; for the prog- 

 ress of the sledges was much interrupted, and the 

 track could not always be followed. But the ridge 

 was not above a quarter of a mile in width, and the 

 bears, striking directly across it, evidently preferred 

 seeking safety beyond a crack, over which they could 

 pass by swimming. 



The first plunge into the hummocks was rather 

 exciting. Jensen's team led the way, and Hans, fol- 

 lowing after, rushed up pell-mell alongside. Jensen's 

 sledge was nearly capsized, and Sonntag rolled off in 

 the snow; but he was fortunate enough to etch the 



