CHAPTER V. 



HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS. 



DuniNG the course of the afternoon we found it necessary to drive 

 across the mouth of a fjord, which may have been a couple of 

 miles in width. We did not at all care for the look of it ; the 

 ice was very weak, and we found small channels yawning in front 

 of us, almost before we knew they were there. We took the pre- 

 caution to drive where we saw the slush had been pressed together, 

 and where presumably the ice would be strongest, but even there 

 it only just bore. 



Nevertheless, we got across without mishap ; but just as we 

 were approaching land on the opposite side we saw a bear glaring 

 at us from the crack. We were going up wind, and evidently it 

 had had its eye on us for some time. The dogs suddenly became 

 restless, and I concluded from this that they had got scent of 

 the bear ; I let go the traces, and they set off like mad animals. 



I had a young dog in my team at this time ; it was only nine 

 months old, and was now on its first trip, so that it still had 

 a good deal to learn before it was experienced enough to look 

 after itself. On this occasion, when it set off after the bear, it 

 managed to get its harness entangled with that of the other dogs, 

 and thus came in for a gratis lift at a good round pace. Poor 

 dog! It must have taken many a hard knock as it bounded 

 and rolled like a rubber ball across the rugged ice. Sometimes I 

 saw it on its belly clinging to the ice with straining, outstretched 

 paws ; sometimes it was on its back struggling desperately with 

 all four legs in the air. It would not soon forget its first journey ! 



But what in the world were the dogs about ? To my amaze- 

 ment the whole pack dashed right under the bear's nose and set 



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