A POLAR BEAR 



" Nennok," he explained, " half of him : you buy 

 him, eh ? " 



He unrolled his package and named his price, 

 and I found myself examining the hinder part of a 

 big bearskin. 



< Where is the rest of him ? " I asked ; and then 

 I got the story. 



It appears that this man and another were out 

 in a little boat, jigging for codfish, when they saw a 

 white bear swimming in the sea. Like true Eskimos 

 they fell to their oars, and got the boat between 

 the bear and the shore, so as to head him off. 

 They had no gun to shoot him, but this was a 

 secondary consideration ; the great idea was that 

 they were within hunting distance of a nennok, and 

 hunt him they would. They chased him to and 

 fro until he began to tire, and then they assailed 

 him with their oars, hammering prodigiously at his 

 lead. He tried to get into the boat, and at that 

 icy hammered the more, until they had him 

 :unned and helpless. Then they towed his carcase 

 shore, and set about sharing him. 

 It did not happen to strike them that they might 

 the skin and divide the money, and so reap a 

 isonable reward for their adventure ; no, they cut 

 ie bear in two, and each appropriated an end. 

 'hey were disgusted to find that they had entirely 

 >oilt the market value of the skin : no trader wanted 

 lalf a bear ! 



That was the only polar bear that visited Okak 

 luring my five years there ; and I have that piece 

 >f bearskin to-day to remind me of the marvellous 

 >luck of those two Eskimos, who attacked a polar 

 iar with no better weapons than their oars. 



257 R 



