478 THE PROGRESS OF MARITIME DISCOVERT. 



which had sent them this unexpected succour in the wilder- 

 ness, would guide them safely through all their difficulties. 

 And indeed they stood in need of this consolatory belief, for 

 as early as September the ground was frozen so hard that they 

 tried in vain to dig a grave for a dead comrade, and their 

 cramped fingers could hardly proceed with the building of the hut. 

 The attacks of the white bears also gave them great trouble. 

 One day Barentz, from the deck of the vessel, seeing three bears 

 stealthily approaching a party of his men who were labouring at 

 the hut, shouted loudly to warn them of their peril, and the men, 

 startled at the near approach of danger, sought safety in flight. 

 One of the party, in his haste and perturbation, fell into a cleft 

 in the ice ; but the hungry animals fortunately overlooked him, 

 arid continued their pursuit of the main body. These gained 

 the vessel and began to congratulate themselves on their safety, 

 when, to their horror, they perceived that their foes, instead of 

 retreating from a hopeless pursuit, were actually scaling the ship's 

 sides, evidently determined to have their meal. Matters now 

 became serious. One of the sailors was despatched for a light, 

 but in his hurry and agitation could not get the match to take 

 fire (Enfields and revolvers were then unknown), and the 

 muskets being thus rendered useless, the sailors in despair kept 

 their enemies off by pelting them with whatever articles came 

 first to hand. This unequal conflict continued for some time, 

 until a well-directed blow on the snout of the largest bear caused 

 the barlamg* monster to retire from the field followed by his 

 two companions, 



" who, seeing Hector flee, 

 No longer dared to face the enemy." 



By the middle of October the hut was completed ; and though 

 the accommodations it afforded were extremely scanty, they were 

 glad to take up their abode in it at once. 



And now began the long, dreary, three months' night of the 

 77th degree of latitude, during which snow-drifts and im- 

 petuous winds confined them to their miserable dwelling. " We 

 looked pitifully one upon the other," says Grerret De Veer, the 

 simple narrator of the sufferings of that Arctic winter, " being 



* "I did not hear them roar as ours do, but they only bark." — Marten's Voyage 

 to BpiUbergen, 



