The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-02-24
ANCHORING A BEAR.
BY ROGER sTARBUCK.

One clear morning in July the English
sloop-of-war Dover was passing within a
league of certain part of the Arctic
coast, upon which were number OF
broken-down log-huts, evidently the re-
mains of an old Dutch whaling-statiOn.
The captain, backing his main yard,
lowered his cutter to take look at the
place.
His daughter Bertha, beautiful girl,
who had accompanied her father for the
voyage, was, at her request, permitted to
60 with him.
His first lieutenant, William Grayson,
to whom Bertha was engaged, made one
of the party.
The cutter soon reached the shore.
While the captain and his lieutenant
the latter with his betrothed leaning
on his arm-were viking about the sta
ton, they noticed that the officer left in
charge of the ship was too closely "hug-
ging" field of ice between him and the
land.
"Confound itw said the captain, an
grily. "He'll have the craft fast in the
ice. / must go and see to it. You,
Grayson, can remain here with Bertha,
until come back"
"Don't be gone long, papa" said the
"Oh, no; it is only mile to the ship.
/ will soon be back"
A few minutes later, away went the boat
with its occupant, while the lieutenant
and Bertha remained ashore.
Scarcely had the cutter touched the
sloop's side, when sudden terrific gale
pounced on the vessel, driving her dead
before it, far away from the vicinity OF
the station.
The craft, in such blow, could not be
brought round; nor could any boat be
headed for the land against the wind and
sea now raging.
AS consequence, the girl and her
companion were left there on that wild
Arctic coast, while the ship, receding
further and further from them every
moment, at length faded from their sight
in the rack and mist.
"Do not be afraid" said Grayson to
his trembling companion, clinging to
him. 6" AS soon as the gale subsidies, the
ship will return for u.s."
He found a shelter for her in one OF
the huts, and, in spite of her remon-
strances, put his own cloak about her to
keep her warm.
The gale ragged all day long.
As night approached the lieutenant
contrived to kindle fire with some wood
he found, and which he lighted with
matches taken from a box in his pocket.
Hours passed, and at last, with her
head on her lovers breast, the girl fell
asleep.
AT dawn Grayson, who had remained
awake all night, saw her eyes open.
"Oh, Williamp she cried, +" is the
gale over yetw
"Yes," was his reply. "And !
can see the ship far in the distance. She
is coming this way, under full sail, but
the tide is running strong against her,
and she will not arrive for many hours" "
Hark What noise is that2'
A barking sound, and now and then a
growl, were heard in the distance.
"They are wolves and BEARS" an
swered Grayson, quietly, while he re-
gretted that he had brought no arms
with him. But fear not; l can keep
them off, if they come here, with the
fire." 49,
"No, no |" gasped Bertha; "I would
not trust to that. Is there no way we
can leave this coast and 60 10 meet the
shipw
The young man rose and looked about
him.
Alongside the beach he bcheld an old
but strong raft, which had evidently
been used by the Dutch whalers to carry
heavy goods.
Attached to the raft there was rusty
chain, one end of which, fastened to a
heavy stone on the beach, kept the
floating platform from drifting away.
Grayson led Bertha to the raft; helped
her upon it; then, standing on the edge,
he succeeded by great effort of strength,
in drawing the stone upon the rough
support of logs.
The chain was a long one, and he re.
solved to keep it with him, as he might
possibly be obliged to anchor before he
should have finished his voyage.
The moment he hauled in the stone
the raft drifted from the beach some dis
tance, and then, caught by the full force
of the current, il was whirled along to-
ward the ship, then visible about five
miles of.
"Oh, how NIGEL" exclaimed Bertha
clapping her hands.
On went the raft, the two voyagers In
high spirits, until they were suddenly
startled by q deep growl behind them.
Turning, they then beheld white
bear standing on the edge of broad
cake of ice about fifteen feet distant, and
in the center of which rose fantastic
looking crystal mass, having deep hol.
low, from which 1t was evident the
creature had first emerged.
The animal was one of the largest OF
its kind, with thick, shaggy skin, broad
legs and paws, fierce, bloedshot eyes, q
wide head, and sharp, hungry-lookine
jaws.
Covered with glittering icicles, some
of which hung down from his heavy
brows, and with patches of dirt and
pieces of shells and gravel adhering II
his body, he presented such wild, for
midable appearance that Bertha, shrek
ing with terror, clung closely to heI
lover as possible.
"Don't be alarmed" said Grayson
although he felt uneasy enough as he re
fected that he had not single weapon
of defense with him-not even pen
knife
lie watched the bear, which was now
plaripg mt him and his companion, oc
casionally tossing its head, uttering fe
rocious growls, and opening and shut
ting its Jaws, in which were its
red, fiery tongue and long SHARP