492 THE VOYAGE OF THE JE ANNETTE. 



yards of him, but it was so dark as to prevent seeing 

 the sights on the rifle. Like my adventure of August 

 22d, the bear showed no fear of Chipp, but advanced 

 toward him until the rushing of men and dogs startled 

 him, and he then turned and ran. Dunbar soon overtook 

 and passed Chipp, and Alexey and Aneguin passed both, 

 while the dogs took the lead and brought Bruin to bay. 

 Alexey got the first bullet in the prize, so the skin goes 

 to his employer, Mr. Bennett ; Dunbar got the second 

 shot, and Aneguin the third. The fourth and fifth shots 

 were delivered by Dunbar and Alexey, and the prize 

 was ours at about 1,000 yards on our port quarter. He 

 was a fine capture. Length over all, eight feet three 

 and one half inches; weight, eight hundred pounds; a 

 welcome addition to our provisions and clog food. The 

 traps were both found tripped but empty, showing that 

 they had been visited. Preparations are being made 

 for rigging one of our whale-guns at the trap to de- 

 liver a charge of buckshot, which ought to astonish if 

 not kill any bear who trips the line attached to the 

 trigger. A lively clay for wind. The surgeon's report 

 of examination is satisfactory. An improvement is no- 

 ticed in our condition this month over last month. 



December 5th, Sunday. — At ten A. m. a crack was 

 found in the ice three hundred yards east. This is the 

 line of the same break that occurred some time ago. 

 At eleven p. M. the crack closed, grinding and groaning 

 going on at a great rate. After nine p. M. the cold 

 made our fastenings snap and crack. Observations 

 show our drift since November 30th, E. fifteen and one 

 fourth miles. The auroral display was exceedingly 

 fine to-night. 



December 1th, Tuesday. — A bright, pleasant day 

 until noon, when it began to cloud up, becoming en- 



