286 WHALING AND BEAR-HUNTING 



Hamilton backs the bear to take a picador and horse under 

 each arm, and the bull in his teeth, and our young Spaniards 

 are a little offended at the picture, mais nous verrons, perhaps 

 as soon as next year, if De Gisbert comes north hunting 

 another season before the Spanish Government expedition 

 starts. 



We continue to make our way towards the edge of the ice 

 through the mist, till we come to quite an open space of several 

 miles in width, where the slight roll from south-west tells us of 

 the open sea to come, and we talk of our hopes of a smooth 

 crossing to the north of Norway. The Dons make preparation 

 for retirement, and divide their beer, apples and chocolate, 

 kindly offering us a share. With great forethought they have 

 preserved these provisions against the expected confinement. 

 But I trust it may be sunny and smooth, for their sake. 



This day, the 5th of August, it is really hot in the 

 sun, and there is a light air behind us, and there is only a 

 very long, almost imperceptible swell the sea silky blue, 

 with delicate ripples, and the pans of floe ice are moving 

 visibly, slightly dipping and rising, and the blue sea swells 

 green over their white, as they rise, and hundreds of little 

 streams run off them like icicles. " This end of the garden " 

 is to-day very fresh and delicious, and after all these weeks 

 of fog and nasty weather we hang up our bodies, as it 

 were, to dry, and lay out our souls to the sun and thank 

 the Creator for life. Life in a fog in the Arctic in the part 

 where we have been is small beer, it is impossible to be truly 

 thankful for the permanent possibility of sensation. 



