432 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



this time on the starboard quarter. Collecting quietly 

 on the poop we awaited, rifles in hand, their approach. 

 The party seemed to consist of a mother and two 

 nearly full-grown cubs. Our dogs were being fed on 

 the port bow, and thus made no demonstration. Per- 

 fect silence reigned. Our past experience warning us 

 of the small effect of a bullet at long range, and the 

 ease with which a bear makes off when hit several 

 times, we decided to wait until the bears would come 

 no nearer, and then pour in a volley. Along the star- 

 board rail were ranged ten rifles in rest : tableau ! 



The mother led the van, the two cubs following. 

 Slowly and deliberately, head to wind, neck stretched 

 out like a cow's neck, nose describing graceful curves 

 in time with each step, Mrs. Bruin came along, falling 

 lazily into the water lanes when she met them, swim- 

 ming across slowly and reaching the shore, looking 

 back to encourage her children to cross the briny deep. 

 When the party reached a point which we considered 

 two hundred yards distant from the ship they paused, 

 and Mrs. Bear, seemingly distrustful of what she saw, 

 and her nose scented, turned as if to retreat. At this 

 moment, by preconcerted signal, we fired. Down tum- 

 bled the big bear, and one of the little ones jerking up 

 a foot and shaking it seemed hit also. The cubs imme- 

 diately closed on the mother, and while the three were 

 in a heap the firing continued until the smoke hid the 

 objects. At the first shot away went the dogs, followed, 

 when the firing ceased, by Dunbar and Ericksen and 

 others. When the smoke cleared somewhat the three 

 bears were in full retreat, safe, if not badly hurt, be- 

 cause the dogs would not, and the men could not, cross 

 the water lanes through which the bears went without 

 hesitation. Jumping into the dingy, Cliipp, the doc- 



