ADVENTURES WITH BEARS. 397 



sees help approacliing — several friends hurrying over the 

 ice. Collecting his last strength, he shouts and runs on. 

 But help seems in vain, for the pursuer hurries too, and he 

 is obliged to take the last thing he has, his shawl, which he 

 throws exactly over the monster's snout, who, more ex- 

 cited still by renewed shouting, throws it back again con- 

 temptuously with a toss of the head, and presses forward 

 upon the defenceless man, who feels his cold black snout 

 touch his hand. Klentzer now gave himself up for lost ; 

 he could do no more ; but the wonderful thought struck 

 him of fastening up the bear's throat with the leathern belt 

 which he wore round his body. Fixedly he stared into the 

 merciless eyes of the beast — one short moment of doubt — 

 the bear was startled, his attention seemed drawn aside, 

 and the next moment he was off at a gallop. The shouts of 

 the many hurrying to the rescue had evidently frightened 

 him. Klentzer was saved by a miracle. We had all hurried 

 out just as we sat below, without coats or caps — indeed, 

 some were in their stockings. The terrified creature fled on 

 to the ice, where he received a cross-fire, then turned hither 

 and thither, and made for Cairn Point. Some of the bullets 

 must have struck him, for he collapsed, and we thought it 

 was all over. But he rallied the next moment, and climbed 

 the steep bank with huge strides, and, leaving traces of 

 blood on the open ice, hurried to the sea. Glad and thank- 

 ful, our full number were soon seated at the mid-day meal, 

 praising a good Providence who had saved our brave 

 companion from death. From the effects of this day 

 several suffered slightly from pains in the chest, and Mr. 

 Sengstacke and P. Iversen had large frost-blisters on 

 their feet. No wonder, when they had run about in stock- 

 inged feet for a whole hour and a half ! 



