CHAPTER XXII. 
WE WAYLAY A SIBERIAN BEAR AND NARROWLY ESCAPE “CATCHING A TAR- 
TAR;” AFTER WHICH WE ENGAGE IN A STAMPEDE, CLIMB A VERY STEEP 
HILL, AND THEN DESCEND ACTAIN TO OUR BOAT. 
A "WEEK had passed since the adventure recorded in 
the last chaptei*, and we were again at anchor in a half- 
sheltered hay. It was evening, and the past day had 
been devoted to loading our decks with a fresh supply of 
drift-wood and to lilling our water-tanks; and, now that 
we had as much on board as we could stow, and it was 
near sunset, we concluded to remain at anchor that nio:ht 
and make an early start the next morning. 
Immediately after dinner, and while the majority of 
J us were at work, the doctor, Lawton, and Williams had 
taken advantage of our being at anchor to embark in 
the tomtit with their guns and the determination to 
employ the remnant of the day in a stroll through the 
woods after some wandering beai\ They had often in- 
dulged in similar strolls without having the fortune to 
meet with the object of their search, and now vowed 
that they would not return this time without some well- 
riddled bruin us their travelling-companion. And now, 
as the day’s work was over and the western sun dropped 
slowly behind the uneven range of the surrounding 
mountains, the tomtit was observed about half-way 
between us and the southern shore of the bay, returning 
426 
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