A FROZEN SUMMER. 431 



pool of clear water, it is not attempted for fear of increasing 

 the facility with which water might enter through the clam- 

 aged stem, and so require additional labor, or even steam-pump- 

 ing, to keep the ship free. Without a single lead of water in 

 any direction accessible to the ship, her being navigated is im- 

 possible, and there would be nothing gained by her being 

 floated into a small lake." 



Immediate examination showed no change in the 

 amount of water coming into the ship, and as no water 

 could be found coming into the supposed leak in the 

 shaft-alley, it is now believed that the water there was 

 caused by the melting of ice between the frames. And 

 so this eventful day came to an end. Much work done 

 and some pleasant knowledge gained. 



August 2Qth, Thursday. — A day of considerable ex- 

 citement occasioned by the advent of no less than four 

 bears, and our killing one of them. About 1.30 p. m. 

 Mr. Collins, while walking on the ice on the port side 

 of the ship, saw a bear through the fog about one hun- 

 dred yards distant. Giving the alarm, off started the 

 dogs, immediately followed by Nindemann and Aneguin. 

 Bruin of course turned and ran, and meeting a pond in 

 his. way plunged into it. It happened, however, to be 

 inclosed, and before he could swim across it the dogs 

 had encircled it and held him at bay, one of them, it is 

 said, biting his bearship on the- nose whenever he at- 

 tempted to land. Aneguin and Nindemann coming up 

 fired one and two shots respectively, Aneguin missing 

 and Nindemann hitting, and the prize was our own. Of 

 course we were all out there at once, and harpooning 

 the carcass, dragged it to the ice, and thence to the 

 burying-ground. 



Hardly had the meat been buried, and our usual oc- 

 cupations resumed, than three more bears hove in sight, 



