68 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



it will be seen that the curved direction of the 

 two main islands covers a space of about 450 Eng- 

 lish miles, whilst their average breadth may be 

 taken as 60 miles. The two islands are divided 

 by a strait called Matotchkin Shar, which also 

 well marks a central position in the physical con- 

 figuration of the country ; for it is in this locality 

 that the highest mountains and wildest and most mag- 

 nificent scenery are to be found, the land thence sink- 

 ing to lower levels both to the northward and south- 

 ward. Matotchkin Shar may likewise be said to be 

 a central position as to the distribution of the various 

 objects of sport ; for it is on the slopes of the snow 

 and glacier-clad mountains of this part of the country 

 that reindeer are most plentiful, whilst wild-fowl of 

 all kinds prefer the south island. Bears, walrus, arid 

 seals, on the other hand, may be looked for with 

 greater confidence on the shores of the north island, 

 and more particularly on the eastern and northern 

 parts of it. I will not presume to narrate any ad- 

 ventures of my own in pursuit of polar bears ; but if 

 I could only remember half the yarns the old whalers 

 of the Hope told me on this head, I could fill a book 

 with wondrous tales, not to be surpassed even by the 

 feats of the valiant Munchausen ; of how they fre- 

 quently fired into these ferocious quadrupeds volleys 

 of marling-spikes, knives, and leaden slugs, not to 

 speak of bullets, but that often the only effect of this 

 rough treatment was that the monster " rubbed him- 



