FAST IN THE TCE. 179 



of very bad weather until perhaps when the barometer 

 beo-ins to rise again. Sounded at noon in twenty-three 

 fathoms, and the lead line indicated a drift to the west- 

 ward. We experience a slight pressure under stern 

 from floes which have advanced from the southward to 

 cover up the vast expanse of open water which has 

 been on our port beam. 



Alexey and Nindemann while out this afternoon fell 

 in with a bear and her cub. Alexey shot and killed 

 the bear, and had a lively tussle with the cub, in which 

 he got his clothes torn. The ice was so uncertain, and 

 it was so late, three p. m., when Nindemann got to the 

 ship to report the shooting, that I did not run the risk 

 of trying to get the dead bear to-night, and accord- 

 ingly sent the metallic dingy to bring Alexey back, 

 leaving the game until to-morrow. " Plenty jump," 

 says Alexey. 



Nommher 2M, Sunday. — The day begins with N. E. 

 winds, which change to S. E. and back to N. E. with a 

 velocity varying from three to thirteen miles an hour, 

 during which the barometer steadily falls to 28.79, 

 and the temperature rises to plus 24°, making it uncom- 

 fortably warm while exercising. At nine p. m., after a 

 short calm, the wind comes out suddenly from the S. 

 W. with a velocity which almost immediately amounts 

 to twenty miles an hour, and causes the temperature to 

 fall quickly to plus 5°. The weather, which before the 

 shift had been overcast and hazy, clears so that at mid- 

 night we have the benefit of moonlight and starlight. 



A few pressures during the da}^ are the only things 

 which disturb us. At one p. m. the advancing floes 

 pile up the ice under the bows, and I have no doubt 

 that this will serve as an entering wedge which, aided 

 by the wind on our starboard beam, will, before this 



