186 NEW LAND. 



I was as quick with my rifle, and sent it a shot in the hind-quarters, 

 and a blessing, and therewith it disappeared over the ridge. 



I was nearer believing in witchcraft than I had ever been 

 before in my life. At any rate I began to lose faith in my 

 sportsman's catechism. But it was as well to take the matter 

 quietly; I continued my way, and was soon up on the point. 

 There I saw the fugitive lying down by the crack, motionless. 

 At last, then ! 



I had no time to go down to it then, having more important 

 things on hand ; and besides, the others in camp would probably 

 see to it. I reached my destination, which was the top of 

 the island, and began to look round me, involuntarily glancing 

 in the direction of the crack. But the bear ? Heaven preserve 

 me, it was gone again ! Was it an optical delusion, or was every- 

 thing bewitched, the bear, my gun, myself ? 



Well, thank goodness, I could see the bear, at any rate, going 

 at a slow trot a good way out on the ice ; it glared sideways at 

 me. To shoot from here would be useless, but probably it felt 

 how my eyes burned as I gazed after it, for suddenly it rolled 

 over and lay quite still. It was more or less in earnest this time, 

 I supposed ; anyhow it did not move again. 



The view from the top of the island was splendid. It appeared 

 to me that a great expanse of water stretched away northward 

 from the point I saw farthest off in the north-west. I also saw a 

 wide fjord running due west, but no matter how I turned it about, 

 I could not make it out to be anything but the fjord which 

 Isachsen and Hassel had visited, and which had been given the 

 name of ' Storfjord.' 



On this island, too, I saw some hares hopping about in 

 undisturbed enjoyment of their existence; they had not the 

 intelligence to be shy, and I could easily have shot them. 



After supper Schei, the mate, and I sallied forth to fetch the 

 carcase of the bear, taking all the teams with us. To get there 

 the more quickly, we meant to drive the dogs without sledges, 

 that is to say, by holding the traces and letting them drag us 

 along on our ' ski ' ' snorekjoring,' or ' tow-driving,' as we called 

 it ; we should be there in less than no time. The do<?s had not 



