THE JOURNEY OVER THE PACK ICE 269 



When we returned Storkersen had taken a sounding of 

 twenty-nine metres, but half an hour later we had thirty-one 

 metres and found a rapid drift towards W.N.W. 



We were forced to stay in camp all day, and divided 

 our time between watching the water, taking soundings, 

 and looking out for a glimpse of the sun, as it was almost 

 a week since we had been able to take any observations. 

 The depth, according to the soundings, was increasing rather 

 fast. At 6 A.M. we had twenty-nine metres, at 5 P.M. forty- 

 one metres, and the line shows a continual and rapid drift 

 to the west. 



While I stood on the highest hill, watching the motion of the 

 ice and looking all round over the pack, I saw a bear sitting on 

 a piece of ice and looking at us. I crawled quickly down to the 

 tent and told Mr. Leffingwell of our visitor. To get the guns 

 and start was the matter of a few minutes only, and we 

 arranged that Mr. Leffingwell should go east of the bear while 

 I went to the west. We lost sight of him for a while, but 

 crawling over a pressure-ridge we saw him standing a hundred 

 yards away, looking in our direction. Mr. Leffingwell moved 

 along while I lay still. Shortly afterwards the bear disappeared 

 and came my way, but I thought that Mr. Leffingwell had a 

 better chance than I had, and did not fire. Neither did he 

 fire, and before I could make up my mind to do so the bear 

 saw us, wheeled round, and, crossing a lane, started off to 

 the south. We both got up, and a hot chase commenced. 

 But the bear had all the advantage. He could plunge into the 

 water and run on the top of the snow, through which we 

 laboured knee deep, and, to make a long story short, we gave 

 up the chase and the bear escaped. 



Afterwards we told each other why we did not fire. It was 

 a case of " After you, my dear Sir." Mr. Leffingwell thought 

 that I was nearest, and I thought that he was, which was very 

 lucky for the bear ! 



We have no exact idea of where we are, but judging by the 

 soundings we ought to be on 70 50' 55' N. As to longitude 

 our notions are still more hazy, as we have no idea how far we 

 may have drifted, but we are probably between 150 30' and 

 151 oo' W. 



We saw to-day the first ducks of the season. A solitary 



