402 FAR THE SI' NORTH 



out there in the storm ; but we were glad that we were 

 not still in their company. 



I had not slept long, when I was awakened by Johan- 

 sen, who said there was a bear outside. Even when only 

 half awake, I heard a strange, low grunting just outside 

 the doorway. I started up, seized my gun, and crept out. 

 A she-bear with two large cubs was going up the shore; 

 they had just passed close by our door. I aimed at the 

 she-bear, but, in my haste, I missed her. She started 

 and looked round ; and as she turned her broadside to 

 me I sent a bullet through her chest. She gave a fear- 

 ful roar, and all three started off down the shore. There 

 the mother dropped in a pool on the ice, but the young 

 ones ran on and rushed into the sea, dashing up the 

 foam as they went, and began to swim out. I hastened 

 down to the mother, who was striving and striving to get 

 out of the pool, but in vain. To save ourselves the labor 

 of dragging the heavy animal out, I waited until she had 

 drawn herself up on to the edge, and then put an end to 

 her existence. Meanwhile the young ones had reached 

 a piece of ice. It was very close quarters for two, and 

 only just large enough to hold them; but there they sat, 

 balancing and dipping up and down in the waves. Every 

 now and then one of them fell off, but patiently clam- 

 bered up again. They cried plaintively and incessantly, 

 and kept looking towards land, unable to understand 

 why their mother was so long in coming. The wind 

 was still high, and they drifted quickly out to sea before 



