Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-06-08

that bear on that icebergl' He handed me
the glass, and, sure enough, there was one Of
the biggest bears ever see just on sort
of quarterback by hisself at the bottom, like
big mountain of. ice as went up from it as
straight as the mizen-mast the sort of ice
bergs they calls 'hummock.' We could see
him quite plain in the moonlight, and precious
dismal he looked.
Well, Sir continued Ben, Il was taken
all aback by what he says 10 me-
What the bear said 4 exclaimed /.
No, Sir. what the doctor said. He was
always up TO some lark, he was; but I'm
blOwed if he didn't say 10 me, Ben, must
nave shot at that chap ) and down he goes
to the cabin to ask the captains leave. Our
skipper had been trying TO keep the cold out,
for it was awful cold, till 'spect he'd have
been ready to give in TO most anything. How
somever, presently up he come on deck hold
ing on by the companion, for he couldn't
hold up of hisself, and orders US 10 do whatever
the doctor wanted.
Mr.. Tinnell, that was the Doctors name,
knOwed how 10 manage as soon as he heard
this here order ; he came forrard to me at
once, and sarved me ont couple of stiffish
glasses of grog, and the like TO all my watch,
and then he whispers me TO put some blankets
in the quarter-boat and have all ready to be
off for shot at the bear. There was no good
in Objecting, for he was tremendous obstinate
young gent, he was-and, besides which, he
brought ont couple of bottles of rum to put
in the boat with his rifle and things, so it
wasn't long aftre we'd got off from the ship
he and me, and another chap. Bill Britton as
was-poor Bill, he didn't think as how he'd
never come back again.
Well, Sir, we pulled towards the iceberg
hand over hand, for it was dreadful cold, the
air coming off it regular fresh, and we took a
good many pulls at the bottle, too, to keep US
warm. We could see the bear sucking his
paws, and hear him snufTing and growing as
if he smelt summit wrong. Poor brute, he
found il was wrong, and no mistake, for the
doctor was dead shot. Just as he got his
rifle up to his shoulder, as gentle as could be !;
whether the bear saw the moon shining on the
barrel or what, can't say, but down he came
with run along the fat Of ice as he was on,
as if he knowed it were all up, and meant TO
swim for it. The doctor was too quick for
him, and Just saw him drop on his haunch-
es and turn over, as we turned our heads
when he fired. Be sure, Sir, we let go hear
tily 10 get 10 him, the doctor loading again the
while. He looked over into the water just as
we got close 10 the iceberg, and pulled up
lot Of the weed as is on the edge Of the GuIph
stream. We was then about dozen yards
from the ice. He didn't say nothing, but
didn't like his look as he put his hand in the
water after we'd gone a bit further, and drew
it out all in hurry, with sort of shudder.
We could see the water changing from the
blue color Of the Gulph stream 10 the regular
sea-green as we pulled through it. We ,0ds
just at the edge Of the stream. There was a
deal Of drift ice, bits like, Just atween US and
the fiat Of ice where the dead bear was lying,
and it was careful work pulling among it,
Howsumever we took drop piece, and
worked on through it at last. The doctor a
fastening the full grog-bo,le to his belt, TO give
the bear dose, as he said.
When we got to the iceberg, we found that il
wasn't above foot out of the water-the fiat /
mean, where the bear was-so We made quick
work and ran the painter round big rub Of
ice TO hold the boat, and all three of us climbed
up on the ice. 1t was roughish work getting
over it, though it looked SO smooth at dis
tance; not bit slippy, more like hard snow
than ice. The flat as we was on was as Big.
about as the whole deck fore and aft, of the
Cross. We wasn't long getting TO the bear,
and tried TO heave him along TO the boat, bot
he was a sight too heavy for that; so we set
TO work skinning him with our knives. The
doctor, all the while, looking upon the hum
mock Of ice, as went right up like the side of a
ship over our heads. It's often come across
my mind since, that he looked too cool, then,
considering how he been up TO start.
We'd well-nigh finished our bear, when
all at once we felt the ice beginning to rock
and shake. This got, after minute or two,
to a regular pitching, like little cock-boat in
a channel breeze. Along with this, we heard
a sort of roaring and a hollow, splitting kind
of sound, as it seemed to be all round us, and
all about, and which made us stop like as if
we'd been shot. / looked at my mate, who
looked as poorly as a sick cod, and had got
the skin of one Of the paws as he'd just fin
lshed held up to protect him like. Just then
the doctor leans over me, and Ben, says he,
bolt down to the boat as hard as you can 60,
and we'll bring on the skin.' warn't long
going to where the boat had been, and sure
enough it were clean gone, painter and ALL
Not an oar or anything to be seen.
If live till the age of Jerusalem, = shan.t
forget that moment. was regular all of a
heap like, when the doctor came up with
Ben and the skin. The iceberg rocking all
the time like big cradle, and with regular
heap of the weed we saw when we was pull
ing to it, piled all round on the edge Of the
ice. hna rE
I'VE was all three a holding together to
keep ourselves up, on account tof the ice, when
all at once, it became quiet again and as firm