470 FA R THE S 2' NORTH 



its claws when the worst gusts came, and then, too, it 

 had only three paws to hold on with; the right fore-leg 

 had been broken. I went up to a big stone at the lower 

 edge of the talus, took good aim, and fired. I saw the 

 bullet strike the snow just beneath it, but, whether it was 

 hit or not, it started up and tried to jump over a drift, 

 but slipped, and rolled over. It tried several times to 

 stop itself, but went on, until at last it found its feet and 

 began to crawl slowly up again. Meanwhile I had loaded 

 again, and the range was now shorter. I fired once more. 

 It stood still a moment, then slipped farther and farther 

 down the drift, at first slowly, then quicker and quicker 

 rolling over and over. I thought it was coming straight 

 towards me, but comforted myself with the thought that 

 the stone I was standing behind was a good solid one. 

 I squatted down and quickly put a fresh cartridge into 

 my gun. The bear had now arrived at the talus below 

 the drift ; it came tearing down, together with stones and 

 lumps of snow, in a series of leaps, each longer than 

 the last. It was a strange sight, this great white body 

 flying through the air, and turning somersault after som- 

 ersault, as if it had been a piece of wood. At last it took 

 one tremendous leap, and landed against an enormous 

 stone. There was a regular crash, and there it lay close 

 beside me ; a few spasms passed through it, and all was 

 over. It was an uncommonlv laro;e he - bear, with a 

 beautiful thick fur, which one might well wish to have 

 at home ; but the best thing of all was that it was very 



