168 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SBA.S. 



Nova Zembla, but not in such numbers as at Spitz- 

 bergen ; and he undergoes, if possible, more perse- 

 cution in those islands from some colonies of Rus- 

 sians or Samoiedes, who, I am told, regularly win- 

 ter in Nova Zembla for the purpose of hunting and 

 fishing. 



The 7th being Sunday, we did not leave the sloop. 



One of our young bears seems out of sorts, and 

 shows symptoms of rheumatism, being quite stiff 

 and helpless as to his hinder extremities ; we there- 

 fore gave them the run of the deck for a few hours, 

 while we had their hutch repaired and thoroughly 

 cleaned out. The sick one, after trying to walk 

 about for a little, moaned piteously, and at last 

 sat down in a corner and remained there quietly 

 enough ; the other availed himself of his liberty by 

 eating, or trying to eat, every thing he could get 

 hold of, and then turned his attention to exploring 

 the vessel. He looked down the hatchways and 

 climbed on top of them ; hunted through all the 

 boats ; clambered along the gunwales and out to 

 the end of the bowsprit, looking about him all the 

 time with the most comical air of inquisitiveness. 

 He was evidently searching for a road to the shore, 

 but not finding any, he took advantage of a mo- 

 ment when nobody happened to be looking, and 

 getting over the taffrail into the little boat hung 

 up astern, he slipped into the water and made play 

 for the shore, distant about ten miles. A boat be- 

 ing lowered, he was soon overtaken and recaptured, 



