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know already that I felt uncomfortable -
The ice foot lifted me up 3/4 of a tide
say ten feet above the floe - and
therefore above the bear - It was
dark and cold - I had not even a
knife - my mittens were out at the
fingers - Every thing was silent - not
even “Nannook” would yeild a sound.
So I crawled to the ledge of the ice
foot and holding my hands to my eyes
peered out into the black shadows of
the hummock ridges - one look - two
looks - “Ah” - not so much disappointed as
you might suppose - “no bear after all” -
- Look the third - What is that long brown
shade” - “Stained ice?” yes stained ice”
- Oh yes - Stain - - - - The stained ice
gave a great menageric roar and
ran full tilt for my position - I
did not wait for him but ignominious
ran without a second thought - Hard
as I could tear - dropping both my
mittens - at separate distances - to re=
tard pursuit - - I gained the brig -
- My mittens had the desired effect
I was not pursued - but I held my
tongue and went back for my mittens
- The simple fact is - I mean my confession
for my private journals - I did not
distinguish myself “Fide et anime.”

The sledge was harnessed in
and our rifles and dogs soon in pursuit
but we failed to catch the bear - either
my mittens had driven him off - or
he had been running from me instead of
at me - To this latter conclusion the foot
marks pointed we must have been but a few feet from each other -
but all this is pri=
=vate journal -