CARRYING MEAT IN THE POLAR NIGHT. 279 



his seat at the table, and told us what had happened. He is short- 

 sighted, and therefore obliged to wear glasses. These are well 

 enough in themselves, but in very cold weather they have the 

 disadvantage of becoming dim from moisture, with the result that 

 it is hardly possible to see through them at all. This is what 

 happened in Schei's case. The glasses clouded over, and he did not 

 see a sign of the bear until he was close upon it ; added to this it 

 was dark. He aimed as best he could, and fired. The bear gave 

 a growl, and set off inwards along the crack, with Schei after him, 



A SHELTERED CORNER. 



on the outer side of it. Now the crack was rather high, for it was 

 low water, and along the side of it were large floes of ice. Schei 

 saw nothing more of the bear, but heard it making off inwards. 

 Suddenly the animal came running out through the crack and 

 straight at him. He had barely time to turn the barrel of his gun 

 towards it and pull the trigger. Happily he hit the bear, which 

 fell almost at his feet, but he had to give it two more shots to be 

 quite sure. After breakfast he and Peder set to work on the 

 skinning. It was a small bear, but a nice one. 



Wednesday morning was fixed for our departure, and the two 

 first days of the week were spent in active preparation for it. I 



