CHAPTER XIV. 



HEUREKA ! 



WHILE Fosheim was working out the observations I meant to take 

 some bearings from the island. I thought at first of going with- 

 out my gun, as I had so many other things to carry, but at the 

 last moment changed my mind. 



I had hardly passed the iceberg, when I suddenly saw a bear 

 away by the crack. It stood still a while glaring angrily at me 

 perhaps thinking I was taking a liberty and then turned tail 

 and ran off. I threw a few shots after it without much hoping 

 to hit it at such long range. 



Thinking it better perhaps to provide myself with a few more 

 cartridges, I went back to the tent with this intention, and then 

 continued my march. The bear was going along the crack out 

 towards the point, and I had already given it up when I saw it 

 suddenly lie down. This was matter for investigation, so I 

 walked towards it, but when I was about within shot the fellow 

 got up and seemed as if it meant to make off, whereupon I had 

 another blaze at it, and it fell. 



I had taken off my ' ski ' on account of the pressure-ice under 

 land, and at this juncture went back to fetch them, but on looking 

 round I discovered that the dead bear whose first duty must 

 assuredly be to lie still had got up, and was stalking up the hill- 

 side. I fired again ; it dutifully fell, and there, of course, was an 

 end of it. 



I began to collect my things again, and as I was raising my- 

 self to go, I saw the bear disappearing on the other side of the 

 ridge ! One learns a good deal from foreign travel, but as yet I 

 had never seen a dead bear that was quite so fleet of foot. But 



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