258 A Monstrous Bear. 



have set it in from Barrow Straits. We attempted 

 to shape our course from Fury Point to Cape York, 

 but the ice proved such an obstruction, that we had 

 to steam up along the west coast until almost off 

 Port Leopold, before we could strike across the 

 inlet. At eleven this morning two bears were seen 

 on the ice ahead, one very large and the other 

 small. On observing the ship, they took to the 

 water, swimming in different dilutions. The ship 

 was stopped and the boats lowered, I in the one 

 that went in pursuit of the largest. We had a 

 great deal of trouble in getting near our victim, 

 having to haul the boat through and over large 

 pieces of ice. Eventually we came up pretty close. 

 My companion, who had the first shot, missed ; I 

 then fired, killing the bear instantaneously. He 

 proved a perfect monster, the largest that anyone 

 on board this ship had ever seen, measuring over 

 10 feet, and weighing about 700 lbs. 



The ship is beginning to assume quite a different 

 appearance, all the coal and whalebone having 

 disappeared off the quarter deck, though it is still 

 lumbered up with casks. No attempts at cleaning- 

 have yet been made, beyond scraping the ship — 

 the deck, sides, paint work, skylight, and everything 

 — long layers of greasy substance coming off with 

 each scrape. It will be a great novelty to see the 

 decks washed. The last time such an operation 

 was performed was at Upernivik, more than two 



