DISCO SIGHTED.
The depression of the ice about the bows, in consequence of a vast accumulation of snow-drift upon it, brought the ship down by the head considerably; to-day this ice suddenly detached itself, and the fore part of the vessel sprang up; she still remains frozen and held down abaft. The snow-banking looks very woe-begone after this ice-quake; it inclines out from the ship, and in many places has been prostrated by the shock.
Early on the morning of the 7th the high land of Disco was seen; its distance was upwards of 90 miles.
CHAPTER VI.
A bear-fight—An ice-nip—Strong gales, rapid drift—The 'Fox' breaks out of the pack—Hanging on to floe-edge—The Arctic bear—An ice tournament—The 'Fox' in peril—A storm in the pack—Escape from the pack.
A BEAR-FIGHT.
9th March.—A bear was seen this morning; but as he was going away from us, the dogs were brought out in the hope that they might keep him at bay until the sportsmen came up. It was very pretty to see them take up the scent, the moment they caught sight of him they set off at full speed. Bruin had seen them first, and increased his pace to a clumsy gallop, yet the dogs were soon around him; he seemed to care but little about them, steadily making off and following the trending of a recently frozen crack in search of clear water, evidently aware that his persecutors would not follow him there.
After five hours all returned on board again; out of the ten dogs four were wounded by his claws,—skin deep only,—but one of the wounds was seven inches in length, as if made with a sharp knife! this was sewed up, the others were merely trimmed, and nature, I am informed, will do all the rest. It is really wonderful what cures nature and instinct effect: notwithstanding the extreme cold, no external dressings are applied, because the animal must not be prevented from licking its wound. Petersen says this bear must be very thin, else he could not run so fast. I think it very probable that he has been hunted before, and that fear lent him wings. A black whale has been seen.