BREAK-UP OF THE FAST-ICE. 127 



become loose, and was floating down the fiord 

 with the tide nearly entire — at least sixteen or 

 twenty square miles of ice in one almost un- 

 broken sheet ; but as the fiord increased in 

 width towards its outer end, there was plenty 

 of room for the boat to pass up between the 

 shore and the sheet of ice. The tide was 

 running down this passage very hard indeed. 

 A narrow strip of " fast " ice still remained 

 attached to the shore all along where the 

 shallowness of the water had prevented it from 

 floating. We had a row of several miles along 

 the shore before we overtook the bears, and at 

 last discovered them seated on this strip of 

 land-ice. Lord David then agreed to get out, 

 and by running try to cut them off from the 

 hnis, while I should continue in the boat and 

 row as fast as possible up the edge of this ice 

 in case they should take to the sea. We got 

 to within about 500 yards of the bears before 

 they perceived us. The old one stood up on 

 her hind legs like a dancing bear, to have a 

 good look at the boat, and a moment's in- 

 spection seemed to convince her that it was 

 time to be off. She set off at the top of her 

 speed with the two cubs at her heels along the 

 smooth surface of the ice. Lord David, although 



