hibernation to save his strength ; but when 

 the berg grounded, and the wind from the 

 harbor brought the smell of fish and of living 

 animals to his nostrils, he sprang up raven- 

 ously hungry. Never having seen men, he 

 had no fear. Straight and swift he followed 

 his nose, ready to seize the first food, living 

 or dead, that lay in his path. 



On the outskirts of the village he came 

 upon a huge deadfall which the men had 

 made hurriedly at Tomah's suggestion, partly 

 to get meat, of which they were in sore need, 

 but more to protect themselves and their lit- 

 tle ones from the savage prowler which knew 

 no fear. The bait was a lot of offal, — bones, 

 and fish-skins tied together with cod-line ; and 

 the fall log was the stump of a big mast, 

 water-logged and heavy as lead, which had 

 come ashore years ago from a w r reck, and 

 which they made heavier still by rocks lashed 

 on with cables. Matwock entered the pen 

 swiftly, grabbed the bait, and thud! down 

 came the weighted log on his shoulders. 



Now a black bear would have been caught 

 across the small of the back and his spine 



303 



Mafwoc/c of 

 ffie icebergs 



