4^4 FARTHEST NORTH 



looked up, and there stood three bears on the heaps, 

 tearing at the bhibber. They were a she-bear and two 

 young ones. " Oh dear !" said I ; " shaU we have 

 to set to at bears again ?" I was tired, and, to teh the 

 truth, had far more desire for our sleeping-bag and a 

 good potful of meat. In a trice we had got our guns 

 out, and were approaching cautiously ; but they had 

 caught sight of us, and set off over the ice. It was with 

 an undeniable feeling of gratitude that we watched their 

 retreatino- forms. A little later, while I was standins^ 

 cutting up the meat and Johansen had gone to fetch 

 water, I heard him whistle. I looked up, and he pointed 

 out over the ice. There in the dusk were the three bears 

 coming back — our blubber-heap had been too tempting 

 for them. I crept with mv gun behind some stones close 

 to the heap. The bears came straight on, looking neither 

 to right nor left, and as they passed me I took as good 

 an aim at the she-bear as the darkness would allow, and 

 fired. She roared, bit her side, and all three set off out 

 over the ice. There the mother fell, and the young ones 

 stood astonished and troubled beside lier until we ap- 

 proached, when they tied, and it was impossible to get 

 within range of them. They kept at a respectful distance, 

 and watched us while we dragged the dead bear to land 

 and skinned it. When we went out next morning, 

 they were standing sniffing at the skin and meat; but 

 before we could get within range they saw us, and were 

 off again. We now saw that they had been there all 



