CHAPTER XXXI 



THIS chapter will show that it is foolish to sit up 

 late, and that it does not do to shoot polar 

 bears in pyjamas. Last night Hamilton and I 

 sat up fairly late playing vingt-et-un for matches. But 

 the Dons and De Gisbert sat up still later, almost all 

 night, brewing a concoction of seal-oil and things on 

 the cabin stove for boots. Just as they succeeded, it 

 upset all over the shoulder of Don Jose junior's coat. 

 They were very merry, but they should have been in bed, as 

 it was their morning watch at nine o'clock, and they went 

 to bed not long before that hour. Spaniards are quite 

 reckless of the night hours, a few days' stay in Madrid will 

 convince anyone of this the people walk about all night. 

 The aforesaid brothers when they did turn in got into 

 pyjamas how people cling to custom. Gisbert, being more 

 experienced, of course turned in all standing, as anyone of 

 any polar experience always does. Now they are sorry for 

 these late hours and for sleeping in pyjamas, for result. 

 Soon after they had turned in, there appeared a very large 

 she-bear and two cubs close to the floe-edge, which could 

 have been shot from the bow. Just the chance they like, 

 no horrid walking and stalking over snow. Gisbert was 

 ready in a minute, but they lost the precious time getting 

 out of the pyjamas into warm clothes, and the bear could 

 not wait, and perforce they had to follow her over the snow 

 and a fog came down. 



They have lost it ; and here we are, a whole ship's com- 

 pany, sleeping, or doing nothing but grousing and counting 

 the hours, as we lie on dead-still water in dead-still fog 

 which is waste of time and patience and is quite absurd, 

 Q.E.D. 



We are back to our last bear forest, " the woods are full 

 of them," as Hamilton says ; back to bear-hunting because 



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