284 HUNTERS OF THE GREAT NORTH 



were being set for foxes in the near neighborhood. For 

 this and other reasons the Eskimos kept their dogs tied — 

 otherwise they were liable to go afield and get caught in 

 the traps. In mid-winter this would be serious, for al- 

 though a dog never freezes his feet under ordinary 

 circumstances, his foot would be frozen solid in an hour 

 if held between the steel jaws of a trap. 



The people were at breakfast when the dogs set up a 

 great racket. All the men rushed out with rifles in their 

 hands. The morning light was not yet clear but they 

 could see the slightly yellowish figure of a polar bear 

 against the white of the hillside. He was standing two 

 or three hundred yards off and apparently considering 

 what to make of all the racket. As the first men were 

 coming out his mind was made up and he started off along 

 the coast at a rolling gallop. Some of the Eskimos rushed 

 to where the dogs were tied and let go half a dozen of 

 them. Each dog as he was freed flew like an arrow in 

 the direction in which the bear had disappeared. A bear 

 can run a good deal faster than a man but not nearly as 

 fast as a dog, and inside of a mile the first dog caught up 

 to him and bit him. sharply in the heel, whereupon the 

 bear turned around and tried to strike the dog with his 

 fore paw. But the agility of a dog is superior to that of 

 a bear and if he has good footing he is certain to avoid 

 the blows aimed at him. 



The first dog was soon joined by the second and later 

 by all the rest. They made a howling and snapping ring 

 round the bear. It did not make any difference which 

 dog he faced, there would be another dog at his heels to 

 bite him. 



Had there been but one Eskimo hunter all might have 

 been well. From lh ; .> adventure and from several others 



