THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 169 



upon the tent would have brought our careers to an abrupt ending. 

 The tracks of a bear in the snow showed that a large male had come 

 in the blizzard within fifteen feet of us and within five feet of the 

 dogs. We certainly knew nothing of his visit; it is probable that the 

 dogs knew nothing of it, either, and it is not certain that the bear 

 realized our proximity. 



A striking proof of the degree to which the ice had telescoped 

 during the night was in a bear trail which we had crossed about a 

 mile before camping and which now was only about three hundred 

 yards away. 



