152 HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



was in fact grave. It was hopeless to expect that the 

 southeast wmd would clear the point of ice and we 

 might lie there several days before a southwest breeze 

 loosened it. IMeantime any on-shore wind would set the 

 ice in and we should be done for. During the night 

 many small pieces had sifted around us, for the water 

 had risen a foot or so and freed some of the grounded 

 blocks. It looked dubious even for getting very far 

 except as we had come, and that would not better our 

 position. The floe to which we were moored broke in 

 two and we had nice work to clear the ship. Klein- 

 schmidt asked each of us formally if we were satisfied 

 with our hunting in the Arctic and each replied that he 

 was not. WTien pressed to name the bag desired each 

 then set the mark at two bears and four walrus. Our 

 leader had probably expected that we would be glad to 

 quit and wished to get us on record with some such 

 expressions. Truth to tell, we were disappointed at the 

 short time the elements had allotted to us, particularly in 

 respect to the bear hunting. Colhns had two of these 

 splendid animals, Lovering and I each one and Elting a 

 cub. Lovering and I each had three walrus; Collins and 

 Elting each two. But the immediate question was to 

 get the ship out to safety. 



Mate Hansen took to the crow's nest and searched 

 the horizon in all directions with his glasses. Slowly the 

 ''Abler" extricated herself and tiu-ned back for a little 

 while, then entered the pack and was surrounded on all 

 sides by immensely heavy floes of shore ice. It was so 

 crowded that she continually bumped against blocks on 

 each side, now pushing two cakes apart to pass between 

 them, now bearing against one to turn short enough to 

 make another narrow crevice. There were no open leads 



