176 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBEEGEN. 
other instance of tlie animals cunning, we may men¬ 
tion that Byers once saw a seal upon the ice a short 
distance from the breathing hole it also uses as a 
means of escape in moments of danger. A bear, after 
seeming deliberation, dived under the ice, and thrust¬ 
ing its paw through the hole, struck the seal a blow 
which killed it. 
AVe perceive our bear still lurking about at some 
distance/disappointed of a meal, and grown impatient 
at his failure. He runs hither and thither, dodging 
out of view behind every little inequality in the ice, and 
always coming nearer to the smouldering carcase. All 
this time the aspect of affairs about us wears a threaten¬ 
ing look, and the wind rises rapidly; the ice comes 
upon us at a pace that is certainly alarming. We are 
about fifteen miles from the outer edge. Our lake, in 
which we float, is rapidly contracting, and although 
we cannot complain of the action of the wind upon 
ourselves, the falling barometer warns us of a gale on 
the outer verge of the. ice, whose force is rapidly 
increasing. Some ice presses towards us from the 
southwards—a circumstance to be noted, as ice never 
comes in this direction unless driven by strong winds. 
The large pieces continue their course towards the 
south, heedless of the gale, drifting to certain destruc¬ 
tion. Now the question grows serious—-What shall 
