772 THE POLAR WORLD. 



'^ April 22d. — Weather very bad. Last night commenced with snow squalls and 

 sleet and finished with rain. Rained all the night and until twelve o'clock to-day. 

 Still remains very thick. The ice in pash inclosed around us. It appears to me we 

 arc the sport and jest of the elements. The other night they played with us and our 

 boat as though we were shuttlecocks. Men would never believe, nor could pen de- 

 scribe, the scenes we have passed through and yet live. Here we are, half drowned, 

 cold, and with no means of shelter. Everything wet, and no sun to dry it. The 

 scene looks bad ; nothing to eat. Everything finished if some relief does not come 

 along. I do not know what will become of us. Fearful thoughts enter my head as 

 to tlie future. Mr. Meyer is starving; he cannot last long in this state. Joe has 

 been off on the ice three times to-day, the little way he can get, but has not seen 

 anything. Chewed on a piece of skin this morning that was tanned and saved for 

 clothing ; rather a tough and tasteless breakfast. Joe ventured off on the ice the 

 fourth time and after looking a good while from a piece of iceberg saw a bear coming 

 slowly toward us. He ran back as fast as possible for his gun. All of us lay down 

 and remained perfectly still, Joe and Hans going out some distance to meet the bear. 

 Getting behind a hummock, they waited for him. Along came Bruin, thinking he 

 was coming to a meal instead of furnishino; one himself. Clack, bano^ ! went two 

 rifles, and down went Bruin to save a starving lot of men. The Lord be praised ; 

 this is his heavenly work ! We cannot catch seal for the pash ice, and we are on a 

 bad sealing ground. He therefore sends a bear along where bears are seldom seen, 

 and we certainly never expected to find one. The poor bear was hungry himself ; 

 there was nothing in his stoniach. Joe, poor fellow, looked very much down on our 

 account. Everything looks bright again but the atmosphere ; it looks threatening." 



" April 2oth. — Wind increased to a gale last night. Raining all night and day, 

 with snow squalls. Launched the boat at 5 A. M. The case was desperate ; run- 

 ning with a light patched boat, damaged as she is, and patched all over. But the 

 piece of ice we were on had wasted away so much that it would never outride the 

 gale. Our danger was very great ; a gale of wind blowing ; a crippled boat, over- 

 loaded, and a fearful sea running, filled with small ice as sharp as knives But, 

 thank God, we got safely through it. We are all soaking wet, in every thing we 

 have, and no chance of drying anything. We have had neither sun nor moon nor 

 star for a week. We have struck the sealmen's grounds. I never saw such an 

 abundance of seals before. They are in schools like porpoises. We hauled up on a 

 floe after eight hours' pull. Joe shot some seals, but they all sunk. Hard times. 

 2C)th. — Joe shot a seal last evening, and so broke the charm. Hans shot one this 

 morning. Ice very thick around. Started at half-past six A. M., and were beset 

 two hours afterward. Pulled up on a small piece of ice, the best we could find. 

 Snowing all day. Repaired the boat ; and the weather cleared up in the afternoon. 

 Got some things dried a little, and half of us turned in. Hans shot a seal, making 

 two to-day." 



April 2Sth. — Gale of wind sprung up ; heavy sea running ; all ready and standing 

 by the boat all night. Launched the boat, but could get nowhere for the ice. Hauled 

 up on a piece of ice at 6 A. M., and had a few hours' sleep, but were threatened to 

 be mashed to pieces by icebergs. They were fighting quite a battle in the water, 

 and bearing right for us. We launched the boat at 1 P. M., and got away, the 



