Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/34

Rh arrived, they told me that not only one of the largest-sized seals (ookgook) was killed, but also the bear. I could hardly believe them. A bear? It was too much to believe. I could readily conceive that they had succeeded with seals, but that they had captured the bear, and without the smallest signs of any struggle, was almost incredible. I could not, therefore, help laughing at Ebierbing as he persisted in the statement; and I said to him, "You are making game of me" On the instant he replied, "Come to the sledge (which was only a short distance off) and see." There, true enough, was Ninoo's skin, with portions of the meat; and now we had beef in abundance. The ookgook had been left on the ice, at the edge of the floe by the open water. Ebierbing told me that they went over to the mountain island where he had first espied the bear, and saw the brute lying down. On their approach he sprung up and darted away. Three of the dogs were immediately let loose by cutting the traces with which they were harnessed to the sledge. After these three had started, the remaining dogs were cast adrift, and soon overtook the other dogs, and assisted in bringing the bear to bay. They barked, bit, struggled, and fought bravely, the bear doing his best to defend himself. Now and then Ninoo would start to run, but the dogs were quickly fast to his stern, turning him round more rapidly than the rudder does a ship under a nine-knot breeze.

The dog and bear fight continued for half an hour, when Ebierbing, getting as favourable an opportunity as he desired, sent the messenger of death to Ninoo's heart.

The bear was very fat, as all polar bears in the neighbourhood of the "deserted land" must be, in consequence of the immense number of seals there. His stomach was filled to its utmost capacity, and, Innuit-like, the two men took care of every portion that was serviceable. The bear was immediately skinned, and the best portions of the carcass brought away. The rest was left to feast other animals than man. On returning from this bear hunt, Ebierbing shot the ookgook which he referred to.