WHALING AND BEAR-HUNTING 259 



bowhead or Greenland, the fat, slow, but valuable whale 

 of the old-fashioned whaling. . . . 



In the evening a bear was spotted. Gisbert and Don 

 Jose and three men set out after it. With the glasses we 

 saw the bear disappear in the distance and then the little 

 black spots of straggling figures also disappeared. They 

 returned several hours later in the best of spirits, though 

 they had never seen the beast. They had fallen in with 

 a curious experience. On the floe they found a greeny blue 

 grotto I remember we saw them standing on a high ridge, 

 it must have been under this into which they went, and 

 were amused at the ghastly silvery appearance of their 

 hands and faces. It was about fifteen yards long, and they 

 could walk in upright, with a blue shallow pool in the middle, 

 and overhead part of the snow and ice was thawed to about 

 a thickness of a few inches and the blue light shining through 

 this with icicles hanging thick, gave an effect that can be 

 imagined. I think I would rather have seen that than have 

 killed the bear. There were no bears in the grotto ; but I 

 know of a man, Captain Yule by name, of Dundee, who 

 killed well, I hardly like to say how many bears, in such a 

 cave. Take a blue cave, whity yellow bears with their 

 dark eyes and the sombre figure of the man, and rifle smoke, 

 flame and blood, and you have a picture fit for the cover of 

 The Wide World Magazine. 



They had walked about ten kilometres over snow, rough 

 going, and came back about one A.M., wet, with ice on beards 

 and moustaches, but glowing and happy with the exercise. 

 They had a hot grog, got off long boots and were very com- 

 fortable, when another bear was spotted, and away they went 

 over the bow by the rope-ladder to the ice, chawing biscuits 

 and chocolate as they went. Don Jose being a little tired 

 his cousin took his place, and Gisbert went off merrily. 

 Spaniards are very sporting so far as I know them ; they 

 work up to their collars, always keep up a cheery appearance, 

 and can't they sleep after exercise it is now past midday 

 and there is not a sign of any of them ! There is a fresh 

 breeze, but it is foggy, with sun overhead, so we cannot 

 do much. 



