JANUARY I TO MAY ly, i8g6 677 



to see where the other one had got to. Suddenly it stuck its 

 head up over the ridge, and I at once sent a shot through its 

 neck close up to the head. 



All hands were then called out, and great was the rejoicing. 

 Our mouths watered at the thought of the delicious fresh meat 

 we should now enjoy for a long time. It was about 16 months 

 since we had last shot a bear, and for 14 months we had not had 

 any fresh meat, except one or two dishes of seals and birds shot 

 during the summer. We blessed Pettersen's savory frying-pan. 

 The bears were cut up and made into steaks, rissoles, roasts, etc. 

 Even the bones we laid aside to make soup of. The ribs were 

 the most succulent. We had them for dinner, and everybody 

 voted that a sirloin of bear was a dish for a king. Accordingly 

 we all ate very large helpings, with heartfelt wishes that it might 

 not be long before some bears again paid us a visit. 



After this Pettersen became so infatuated with bear-hunting 

 that he talked of it early and late. One day he got it into his 

 head that some bears would come during the night. He had 

 such a belief in his forebodings that he made all possible prep- 

 arations for the night and got Bentzen to join forces with him. 

 Bentzen had the morning watch, and was to call him as soon as 

 the bears appeared. A merry fellow, who wanted to make sure 

 of seeing Pettersen bear-hunting, had taken the precaution to 

 hang a little bell on Bentzen's rifle, so that he could hear when 

 they started. Unfortunately no bear appeared. Pettersen, how- 

 ever, had so set his heart on shooting a bear, that I had to prom- 

 ise to let him have a shot some time when I myself was by and 

 had a charge ready, in case the inconceivable should happen, and 

 Pettersen should miss — -a mishap which he would find it very 

 hard to get over. 



On Sunday, March 8th, we had another instance of a sudden 

 change in temperature like that of February 21st. In the morn- 

 ing it was cloudy, with a fresh breeze from the E.N.E., but at 3 

 P.M. the wind fell, and at 6 o'clock changed to a light S.S.E. 

 breeze. At the same time the temperature rose from —26° to 

 — 8°, and it was very pleasant to saunter round on the half-deck 

 in the evening and breathe the mild air. 



