66 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



just in time to see it trotting away as fast as it 

 could. Although the beast was already at some 

 distance, I levelled my long-range Swiss rifle and 

 opened fire. The firing, however, was difficult ; 

 the ship, bumping constantly against the ice, 

 again and again spoiled my aim. Meanwhile the 

 bear, keeping its back turned to me, appeared 

 and reappeared amid the ice hummocks. 

 None the less, I contrived to get at least one shot 

 home. The animal rolled convulsively in the 

 snow, then rose again to continue its flight. 

 Now, however, it left behind it a trail of blood. 

 From time to time it stopped to lick its wounds. 

 Swensen, in the crow's-nest, was the last to see it, 

 and stated that it had disappeared behind a 

 large ice-hill. He was very eager to go and 

 finish it off ; I was, however, reluctant to risk 

 the lives of the men at this part of the field 

 where the ice was rotten and dangerous. Still, 

 none of us desiring to lose the bear, we sailed 

 for the farther side of the berg. 



The Captain hoped the animal would take 

 to the water and cross the canal separating the 

 two bergs. But I was convinced that, wounded 

 as it was, it would never risk such a passage. 

 We surmised that my ball had lodged in its 

 stomach. Everyone on board had seen the 

 blood gush from above the right haunch, and 



