THE LAST OF THE JEANNETTE. 541 



to summer being abrupt. We must be having Sibe- 

 rian weather, for how else can we account for a tem- 

 perature of minus 12° on the 3d day of May? Our 

 men to-day were at work clearing away the snow- 

 banks surrounding us. The drifts have almost buried 

 us. and we are anxious to see our black sides once 

 more. Shall we ever see them above the surface of an 

 open ocean again? 



May, ith, Wednesday. — A flock of ten wild geese 

 were seen flying west this morning, and some ducks 

 also flying in the same direction in the afternoon. 



May 5th, Thursday. — The pleasantest thing I have 

 had to record for some time is an occurrence of to- 

 day — the capture of a bear. This morning, while the 

 men were out on their usual walking and hunting ex- 

 ercise, Wilson and others saw a bear about a mile ahead 

 of the ship, and our fine dog Prince at once made for 

 him and seized him by the hind leg. Bruin promptly 

 wheeled to confront his assailant, when, according to 

 Ericksen, Prince shot ahead of him cutting off his line 

 of retreat until Wilson, one hundred yards distant, got 

 a bullet in that dropped him. A splendid shot, and a 

 piece of great good luck for us. Weight 790 pounds ; 

 his stomach was empty but for one tobacco quid picked 

 up on his way. 



May Qth, Friday. — At one and four A. m. the ship 

 received some severe shocks, and in the forenoon, when 

 we came to look around, we found that the lead, one 

 hundred and eighty yards off, had partially closed ; 

 that a crack extended ahead in line with the keel ; one 

 from our starboard quarter toward the one hundred 

 and eighty yard lead, and several between the bow and 

 beam on the starboard side. Not of importance any 

 of them, unless as indicating a future line of opening. 

 A flock of ducks flying west seen to-day. 



