FAST IN THE ICE. 149 



now as if we were in a fair way to drift down between 

 Herald Island and Kellett Land. In this case we may 

 have some land near to us when the ice closes together 

 and becomes immovable to a certain extent, and we 

 may yet have the honor of being the first to land on 

 this already discovered but yet unexplored shore. 



At three p. m. we were startled into activity by the re- 

 port of " A bear on the ice close to the ship ! " Five or six 

 of us immediately went in pursuit, spreading out to in- 

 close the bear should he allow it. He had a long start, 

 however, and most of us gave up the chase after a mile or 

 two. Mr. Newcomb, Aneguin, and Alexey kept on, and 

 at 5.20 Aneguin came back with the pleasant news that 

 the bear had been overtaken and killed. Melville and 

 I took a couple of sleds and teams and some men, and 

 brought back the prize — a female bear, weighing, I 

 should judge, about 500 pounds. The captors had 

 already skinned and cut up the carcass, so we could not 

 weigh it. This makes a valuable addition to our larder. 

 The skin was nicely taken off with the head attached, 

 and will no doubt be in good condition to be mounted 

 hereafter. 



October 5th, Sunday. — At ten a. m. read the Articles 

 for the Government of the Navy, and mustered the crew. 

 Everybody seemed in excellent health and spirits, and 

 nothing disheartened by our being thus early beset and 

 the almost absolute certainty of our wintering in the 

 pack. The forecastle was dry, warm, and comfortable. 

 Not a sign of moisture was to be found, except a trifle 

 coming from the rods of the deadlights, and this was 

 received and retained in the drip pans placed under 

 them. The cook-house on deck was neat and clean. 

 All the internal arrangements of lockers, water cans, 

 and boxes being complete, the galley was as orderly as 



