A bear!—A bear! 
429 
Gary paced the deck all last Sunday in a fit of home¬ 
sickness, Avithout eating a meal. I do my best to cheer 
them; but it is hard Avork to hide one’s own trials for 
the sake of others Avho have not as many. I am glad 
of my professional drill and its companion influence 
over the sick and toil-Avorn. I could not get along at 
all unless I combined the offices of physician and com¬ 
mander. You cannot punish sick men. 
“ November 20, Monday.—I Avas out to-day looking 
over the empty traps A\ r ith Hans, and Avlicn about tivo 
miles off the brig—luckily not more—I heard Avhat 
I thought was the belloAv of a Avalrus on the floe-ice. 
1 Hark there, Hans!’ The words Avere scarcely uttered 
before Ave had a second roar, altogether unmistakable. 
No Avalrus at all: a bear, a bear! We had jumped to 
the ice-foot already. The day was just thirty minutes 
past the hour of noon; but, practised as Ave all are 
to see through the darkness, it Avas impossible to make 
out an object two hundred yards off. What to do ?— 
we had no arms. 
“ We were both of us afraid to run, for Ave knew that 
the sight of a runner Avould be the signal for a chase; 
and, besides, it Avcnt to our hearts to lose such a provi¬ 
dential accession to our means of life. A second roar, 
Avell pitched and abundant in A r oliune, assured us that 
the game Avas coming nearer, and that he was large 
and of no -doubt corresponding flavor. ‘Run for the 
brig, Hans,’—he is a noble runner,—‘and I Avill play 
decoy.’ Off went Hans like a deer. Another roar; 
but he Avas already out of sight. 
