118 WAIT FOR HIM ON THE ICE, 



mud and "fast" ice, with several wide valleys 

 beyond, and it was clear that if we attacked 

 him openly in front, he would take to his heels 

 over the flat, and soon run us all to a stand- 

 still, as the hear will easily outrun any man. 

 I then thought I would lay down beside the 

 carcases to wait for his approach, but it had 

 now got so bitterly cold that I was afraid I 

 would be half frozen before he came ; so, after 

 a minute's consultation with Christian, we de- 

 cided on a middle course, which he said he 

 thought would do equally as well as if I lay 

 down on the ice. "We rowed as fast as we 

 could towards the carcases, and pushed the 

 boat into a little creek, which fortunately 

 existed in the edge of the ice exactly eighty 

 yards on our side of the carcases. The bear 

 was still snuffing about on the land, and had 

 not perceived us yet, and the boat being quite 

 white like the ice, it was not likely he would 

 do so now if we kept still. I made all the 

 men crouch down in the bottom of the boat, 

 while I alone watched the motions of Bruin, 

 by peeping over the gunwale through a large 

 double-barrelled opera-glass, which I generally 

 carry in preference to a telescope for sporting 

 purposes, on account of its greater quickness. 



