Shooting a Bear. 203 



one as they came into the cabin and looked at the 

 clock, inquire " if it was half-past twelve to-morrow 

 morning, or half-past twelve last night." In the 

 afternoon a bear was seen, and Chester and myself 

 immediately started in the dingy in chase. Fully 

 carrying out the character for curiosity attributed to 

 these animals, Master Bruin actually ran along the 

 edge of the floe towards us, apparently to ascertain 

 who the audacious creatures were that dared to 

 approach and disturb him during his meals. A 

 shot from my little rifle striking him full in the face 

 brought him down, but I was compelled to fire twice 

 more before life was extinct. There was a huge 

 piece of whale tongue lying on the ice, which ho 

 had picked up in the water and deposited in its 

 present position. It must have weighed at least a 

 couple of hundred weight; it was quite fresh, and 

 was most probably a piece of hreng thrown over- 

 board yesterday. Bruin measured over seven feet 

 eight inches. Shortly afterwards I shot a large 

 ground seal, but the beast tumbled off the ice, sank, 

 and was lost. The last two days have been thick 

 and foggy, much to our annoyance, as it renders all 

 search after whales impossible. The arrival of the 

 doctor and the party from the ee Polaris" has, indeed 

 been a god-send to me. Time was beginning to 

 hang very heavily, for this whaling business becomes 

 after a time extremely monotonous, and is relieved 

 only by the actual capture of a fish. The subsequent 



