An Exciting Polar Bear Hunt. 161 



The steward, already infected by their manner, made great haste 

 in complying with the request, and upset my ink bottle in his 

 efforts. I asked three times for an explanation before any one of the 

 excited trio took the time to relieve my curiosity. At length Mr. 

 Bridge, the engineer, blurted out : — 



" On with your coat. Get your rifle. Come ! the hills are filled 

 with bears ! " 



It seems that Mr. Bridge had gone out alone with a shot-gun in 

 search of game, and had walked inland on the island about a mile, 

 when he found himself face to face, about fifty yards off, with five 

 gigantic polar bears. He is of a most excitable temperament, and 

 works himself into a perfect worry over the slightest ruffle in the 

 every-day affairs of life, and his condition and manner on the occasion 

 to which I refer were beyond telling. He had managed to part 

 company with the bears, although, he says, they followed him for a 

 considerable distance. He came to the shore, completely out of 

 breath, pale with excitement, and trembling from the realization of 

 the great escape that he had made. Here he communicated his dis- 

 covery to Messrs. Fox and Laperriere, who were running a base line 

 from which a triangulation survey of the harbour was to be made, 

 and altogether they had come to the ship for guns and ammunition, 

 fully resolved on pursuing the bears. 



Putting aside my manuscripts I readily joined them. In three 

 minutes we were in one of the Neptune's boats pulling for the shore, 

 five in all, each equipped with a Henry rifle and ten explosive cart- 

 ridges. Reaching the shore we started up a narrow ravine towards 

 the spot where Mr. Bridge had left the bears. Nearing the place, a 

 halt was made, and, after a hurried conversation, we placed our- 

 selves under the command of Mr. Fox, who had had a little experi- 

 ence in deer hunting in Muskoka. We were to be guided in our 

 actions by him. 



For the present only general instructions were given. The 



advance was to be made carefully, and when we had approached to 



within a hundred yards or less, one or two were to fire, and the others 



were to hold themselves in readiness to lead up the attack, so as to 



hold the white monsters in check, while those who had emptied 

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