522 FARTHEST NORTH 



to set in. All the pools and lanes are covered with 

 ice, thick enoufrh to bear a man even without snow- 

 shoes. 



'• I went out on my snow-shoes both morning and 

 afternoon. The surface was beautiful everywhere. Some 

 of the lanes had opened out or been compressed a little, 

 so that the new ice was thin and bent unpleasantly under 

 the snow-shoes ; but it bore me, though two of the dogs 

 fell through. A good deal of snow had fallen, so there 

 was fine, soft new snow to travel over. If it keeps on 

 as it is now, there will be excellent snow-shoeing in the 

 winter; for it is fresh water that now freezes on the sur- 

 face, so that there is no salt that the wind can carry 

 from the new ice to spoil the snow all around, as was 

 the case last winter. Such snow with salt in it makes 

 as heavy a surface as sand. 



" Monday, August 27th. Just as Blessing was going 

 below after his watch to-night, and was standing by the 

 rail looking out, he saw a white form that lay rolling in 

 the snow a little way off to the southeast. Afterwards 

 it remained for a while lying quite still. Johansen, who 

 was to relieve Blessing, now joined him, and they both 

 stood watching the animal intently. Presently it got up, 

 so there was no longer any doubt as to what it was. Each 

 got hold of a rifle and crept stealthily towards the fore- 

 castle, where they waited quietly while the bear cautiously 

 approached the ship, making long tacks against the wind. 

 A fresh breeze was blowing, and the windmill going 



