103 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA [chap. 



^^'"hen a vessel lies at anchor, the bear sometimes swims out 

 to it, and if one encamps in distant regions one often finds on 

 getting up in the morning a Polar bear in the neighbourhood, 

 who during the nio-ht has gone and nosed round the tent, 

 without daring to attack it. I remember only one case of a 

 bear venturing to look into an inhabited tent ; it was during 

 Kane's journey. He was frightened on that occasion by the 

 lighting of some lucifers. I have myself with my comrades 

 encamped without a watch in regions where we were certain 

 that our encampment would be visited, while we lay in deep 



POLAK BEARS. 



Drawn by G. Mtitzel of Berlin. 



sleep, by some bear, that seldom, when the cook rose to make 

 coffee, failed to come within range of shot. 



The bear on the other hand has a special fancy for taking an 

 inventory of depots of provisions, of abandoned vessels, or of 

 boats that have been left drawn up on the beach. Most Arctic 

 travellers have remarkable adventures to relate, which both 

 men and bears have gone through on such occasions. During our 

 expedition in ISG-i, for instance, a large bear came and closely 

 examined the contents of a boat covered with a tent, which we 



