

92 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



surrounded, although the beaters were very 

 wide apart. 



Bergendhal fired and splintered the ice 

 before the cub. It turned back on its trail 

 instantly. Bergendhal followed, firing from 

 time to time, driving it always towards the 

 promontory. The men closed in ; the canoe 

 skirted the edge of the ice, hidden from view 

 by the height of the field. Finding each 

 avenue of escape closed to it, the young bear 

 commenced to howl and cry. The boat followed 

 the left flank of the beaters. Nearer and nearer 

 the men approached, crossing lakes of icy water 

 and scaling hummocks, on whose tops the 

 accumulated snow was soft and deep. Thus 

 they gained the promontory, driving the bear 

 before them. A final shot, combined with the 

 shouts of the beaters, drove the cub to take 

 to the sea. It jumped bravely from a point 

 near the end of the promontory. The beaters 

 on the left flank embarked in the boat, seized 

 the oars, and placed themselves between the ice 

 and the cub, thus cutting off all retreat. Its 

 capture was now certain. I experienced great 

 relief, as I had commenced to ask myself 

 whether I had not been too precipitate in shoot- 

 ing the mother bear, and thereby assisting the 

 cub's escape. 



