Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/209



They had much trouble in getting out of Hartstene Bay, the water coming almost in to the land-ice. Once outside, however, they had an easy run up the coast to Fog Inlet, where one of the sledges broke down, and they came upon open cracks which they could not pass. After repairing the sledge as well as they were able, they turned their faces homeward. When a little way above Cape Hatherton, they struck the trail of a couple of bears; and, giving chase, the animals were overtaken and captured. They proved to be a mother and her cub.

Sonntag has given me a lively description of the chase. The bears were started from the margin of a ridge of hummocked ice where they had been sleeping; and they made at once for the open cracks outside, distant about four miles. As soon as the dogs discovered the trail, they dashed off upon it into the hummocks, without waiting to be directed by their drivers, and utterly regardless of the safety of the sledges or of the persons seated upon them. The hummocks were very high, and the passages between them rough and tortuous. Had the bears kept to them they might have baffled pursuit; for the progress of the sledges was much interrupted, and the track could not always be followed. But the ridge was not above a quarter of a mile in width, and the bears, striking directly across it, evidently preferred seeking safety beyond a crack, over which they could pass by swimming.

The first plunge into the hummocks was rather exciting. Jensen's team led the way, and Hans, following after, rushed up pell-mell alongside. Jensen's sledge was nearly capsized, and Sonntag rolled off in the snow; but he was fortunate enough to catch the