250 BARENTZ' THIRD VOYAGE. 



a.d. remove to it, on account of one of the crew being 



1596. 



very ill. 



On the 3rd November they saw the upper 



limb of the sun just above the horizon at noon, 

 which was the last time it appeared that season.* 

 Up to this period, the bears had proved a great 

 annoyance, and had evidently become more 

 audacious as the days drew to a close. No 

 serious accident, however, had occurred, notwith- 

 standing the lives of the parties were frequently 

 endangered by their attacks. On one occasion 

 three of these animals surprised some of the men, 

 who were employed in dragging things to the 

 house ; there were, unfortunately, only two hal- 

 berts amongst the party, which were seized by 

 the master and De Veer, who stood forth to de- 

 fend themselves. The rest of the party fled to 

 the ship ; in doing which one of the men fell into 

 a cleft in the ice, and the greatest apprehensions 

 were entertained for his safety, lest the bears 

 should fall upon him, and devour him, but most 

 providentially his life was spared, by the bears 

 following those who continued to run away. 



De Veer and the master, thus left alone, 

 joined the man who had fallen, and succeeded in 

 getting into the ship on the opposite side ; but 



* At Melville Island, 12' south of this station, it set on the 

 4th November. 



