262 ■ FARTHEST NORTH 



ship and set after him. Blessing also was now much less 

 concerned than he had been as to the bear's nerves. He 

 stopped, uncertain w4iat to do ; but a moment's reflection 

 brought him to the conclusion that it was pleasanter to be 

 three than one just then, and he went back to the others 

 faster than he had gone from them. The bear followed 

 at a o^ood rate. Hansen did not like the look of thins^s, 

 and thought the time had come to try a dodge he had 

 seen recommended in a book. He raised himself to 

 his full height, flung his arms about, and yelled with all 

 the power of his lungs, ably assisted by the others. But 

 the bear came on c|uite undisturbed. The situation was 

 becoming critical. Each snatched up his weapon — 

 Hansen an ice-stafT, Johansen an axe, and Blessing 

 nothing. They screamed with all their strength, ' Bear ! 

 bear!' and set off for the ship as hard as they could 

 tear. But the bear held on his steady course to the 

 tent, and examined everything there before (as we have 

 seen) he went after them. 



" It was a lean he - bear. The only thing that was 

 found in its stomach when it was opened was a piece of 

 paper, with the names ' Liitken and Mohn.' This was 

 the wrapping-paper of a 'ski' light, and had been left 

 by one of us somewhere on the ice. After this day 

 some of the members of the expedition would hardly 

 leave the ship without being armed to the teeth. 



" Wednesday, October 4th. Northwesterly wind yes- 

 terday and to-day. Yesterday we had —16^, and to-day 



