Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/294

Rh the south termination of Pugh Island, where we made our eighteenth encampment. Before we retired for the night the sledge was stuck up on end in an ice-crack, and the guns and spears were put in order, at the head of our couch, for immediate use, if occasion should require it. As I needed an explanation of some of these movements of my Innuit companions, so my readers may require one of me. I thus give it: The reason of going to such a distance from the scene of the bear-hunt before making our encampment has already been given. The sharp turn—nearly reversing our course—was designed, as the Esquimaux explained it, for a safeguard against pursuit by the enraged old bear. If she should attempt to pursue on our sledge-track, her movements would be rapid; and, finding the track nearly in a straight line for so long a distance, she would become somewhat confident, "thinking" that the same undeviating course had been kept to the end; therefore, on her reaching the place of the sharp turn, it might be unnoticed and unscented, and she would continue her course some time longer before discovering her mistake. But, in case she should track us to our igloo (our sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth encampments were igloos or snow-houses), then the first thing she would do would be to throw down the sledge (one of many things that polar bears do not like to see standing), and thus we should be awakened, and put on our guard against the ferocious beast. But, happily, no enraged "she bear" made her appearance. The trick of the sharp turn may have saved us. The bladder of the young Ninoo was kept hung up, at whatever place we happened to be, for three days, according to custom; and that night we had an excellent supper off my prize, the flesh appearing and tasting like veal. On the morning of Saturday, May 17th, having first ascended the heights of the island of our encampment, and made the necessary observations for continuing my survey, we resumed our journey down the bay, passing rapidly, on