62 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



cub, both busily tearing a seal to pieces. Thanks 

 to a mist that hid us from their view, we were 

 able to bring the Belgica up to the ice and land 

 several men, who, led by Bergendhal and 

 Recamier, detoured the hummocks and cre- 

 vasses which surrounded the animals. I, being 

 convinced that if the bears were disturbed they 

 would plunge into the sea, stationed myself in a 

 boat, and hidden from sight by the sides of a 

 wide ice canal, awaited events. Due to the 

 heavy mist I could not follow the fortunes of 

 the chase. After an hour's wait a rifle shot, 

 followed by a savage snarling, disturbed the 

 stillness. At that moment I caught a glimpse 

 of the flying bears, vague and ill-defined because 

 of the mist. 



Merite and I, running as hard as we could, 

 followed the edge of the ice. After negotiating 

 a cape formed by a high green and blue iceberg, 

 I again saw the bears ahead trotting rapidly, 

 parallel with the sea. A human shout rang out 

 in the mist before them. The bears halted, 

 hesitated a moment, and then determined to 

 cross the wide canal. They plunged into the 

 sea but a few yards from us. 



The mother jumped first, her fore-paws almost 

 joining above her head. The cub followed 

 quickly, and supported itself by holding on to its 



