OF FOUR RtJSSiAJl SAILORS. Il3 
their arrow without the help of a hammer, the} contrived to 
form the large iron hook mentioned above into one, by heat- 
ing it, and Avidening a hole it happened to have about its mid- 
dle, with the assistance of one of the largest nails. This re- 
ceived the handle, and a round knob at one end of the hook 
served for the face of the hammer. A large stone supplied 
the place of the anvil ; tongs were formed of a couple of rein- 
deer horns. With these tools they made two spear-heads, 
and after polishing and sharpening them on stones, they 
tied them as fast as possible with thongs of rein-deer skin, to 
sticks about the thickness of a man's arm, which they got 
from some branches of trees that had been cast on shore. 
Thus equipped with spears, they resolved to attack a white 
bear ; and after a most dangerous encounter they killed the 
formidable creature, and thus obtained a fresh supply of pro- 
visions. The flesh of this animal they relished exceedingly, 
and they thought it much resembled beef in flavor. They 
perceived, with great pleasure, that the tendons might, with 
little or no trouble, be divided into filaments as fine as they 
pleased. This was perhaps the most fortunate discovery 
these men could have made; for beside other advantages, 
they were thus furnished with strings for their bow. 
The success our unfortunate islanders had experienced in 
making the spears, and the great utility of the latter, encou- 
raged them to proceed, and to forge some piece's of iron into 
heads of arrows of the same shape, though somewhat smaller 
than those of the spears. Having ground and sharpened these 
like the former, they tied them with the sinews of the white 
bears to pieces of fir, to which, by means of sinews also of 
the white bear, they fastened feathers of sea-fowl, and thus 
became possessed of a complete bow and arrows. Their in- 
genuity in this respect was crowned with success far beyond 
their expectation ; for during the time of their continuance 
upon the island they killed with the arrows no less than 250 
rein-deer, beside a great number of blue and white foxes. 
The flesh of these animals served them for food, and their 
skins for clothing and other necessary preservatives against 
the intense cold of a climate so near the pole. 
They, however, killed only ten white bears in all, and these 
not without the utmost danger ; for these animals being prodi- 
giously strong, defended themselves with astonishing vigor 
and fury. The first, they attacked designedly, but fhe other 
nine they killed in their own defence ; for some of these crea- 
tures even ventured to enter the outer room of their hut in order 
