OLD WHALING DAYS. 83 



One morning, as we were having breakfast in the cabin, 

 after a severe gale and ice pressure, a shot was fired from 

 the deck. We rushed up to ascertain the cause, and found 

 the harpooner on watch had fired at a bear, but missed it. 

 The captain ordered me to take my rifle and follow it. The 

 animal walked leisurely away. It was half a mile from the 

 ship before I caught up with it. When within ten yards, 

 which I considered quite near enough upon the ice when a 

 man has only one charge for his gun, and that a muzzle 

 loader, the brute lay down with its head between its 

 paws as though in the act of making a spring if I should 

 come closer. I aimed at the eye (which is the best mark 

 when end on), at that moment it moved its head, and in 

 consequence the bullet entered the shoulder, breaking it, 



Cl making the blood spout out in a stream. I immediately 

 de tracks for the ship to get more ammunition, but when 

 half way I met a boy bringing me a lance. Giving him the 

 empty rifle, I returned to the bear. When I came close to 

 it the animal rose on its hind legs. I struck at its breast 

 with the lance, but it was so blunt and weak that it bent 

 double without entering the body, causing me to fall near 

 the animal, which immediately grasped me with its teeth on 

 the right thigh, biting a piece out of my trousers, and 

 inserting its four tusks in my flesh. At the same time three 

 or four bullets came whistling close to me, which were 

 recklessly fired by some men the master had sent to assist 

 me when he saw my position. However I scrambled out of 

 Bruin's reach. All this took place quicker than can be 

 related. The bear now began to retreat, but could not 

 make much progress on account of the wound and loss of 

 blood. By this time the men had come up. I took one of 

 the rifles and shot the bear through the head. The bite did 

 not incapacitate, me from duty, but it was three or four 

 weeks before the wound was completely healed. I still 

 carry the marks. When I returned on board, the master 



