LAND AT LAST Hi 



sitting posture, and cocked the shot-barrel. The bear was 

 standing not two yards off, ready to make an end to my 

 dos:, ' Kaifas; There was no time to lose in cocking; the 

 other barrel, so I gave it a charge of shot behind the ear, 

 and it fell down dead between us. 



''The bear must have followed our track like a cat, 

 and, covered by the ice-blocks, have slunk up while we 

 were clearing the ice from the lane and had our backs to 

 him. W^e could see by the trail how it had crept over a 

 small ridge just behind us under cover of a mound by 

 Johansen's kayak. While the latter, without suspecting 

 anything or looking round, went back and stooped down 

 to pick up the hauling-rope, he suddenly caught sight 

 of an animal crouched up at the end of the kayak, but 

 thought it was ' Suggen '; and before he had time to real- 

 ize that it was so big he received a cuff on the ear which 

 made him see fireworks, and then, as I mentioned before, 

 over he went on his back. He tried to defend himself 

 as best he could with his fists. With one hand he seized 

 the throat of the animal, and held fast, clinching it with 

 all his might. It was just as the bear was about to bite 

 Johansen in the head that he uttered the memorable 

 words, '' Look sharp !" The bear kept glancing at me con- 

 tinually, speculating, no doubt, as to what I was going to 

 do ; but then caught sight of the dog and turned towards 

 it. Johansen let go as quick as thought, and wriggled 

 himself away, while the bear gave ' Suggen ' a cuff which 

 made him howl lustily, just as he does when we thrash 



