Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-23

Manuth Tnska BrOu
ing over the ice. dog came running
and knocked my feet from under me.
went head foremost down on the Ice.
My right shoulder hit the ice first
Stars were flying before my eyes, but
i did not faint. l took my left hand
and felt my right shoulder There
was no doubt. The bone wac broken
right underneath the shoulder AS
We had no doctor. my arm was tied 20
my body. and II healed in eight weeks
! On November It was decided that
should part with the sling which had
kept my arm up for the last weeks
1t was a great day for me. and
decided to take trip on the Ice and
| inspect all the work done in my ali
sence. / was especially interested in
a snow wall which the boys had
built around the vessel to protect IL
against the cold.
Dog Brings Angry Bear.
1t was about half pas, in the
morning when ] came on deck
Jacob. the only dog we kept on
board to watch against bears, came
as usual toward me and presented
me with his morning greetings. But
unlike every other morning-we had
always little chat asking each other
how We had spent the night and so
on-he left me abruptly. ran up the
stairs leading to the gangway. down
this and on to the ice. He disappear
ed Immediately into the misty. frosty
morning toward shore. l thought he
was probably running to the dog
Kennels to pay his comrades a morn
ing call and I dismissed the thought
altogether. ] then started to in
spect the snow wall
1t was most useful work. and
certainly would serve its end and
keep the ship snug and warm during
the Winter storms. Suddenly ! heard
strange sound which l could not
make out. and 1t forced me to turn
around and look. What I saw was
well worth seeing if not exactly de-
sirab1e. Out Of the mist came the
dog Jacob leading. followed as a good
second by big bear. Behind her was
little cub of some months. The
bear was furious, and ] the object of
her fury Jacob had run on board
and left me to my fate. What would
you have done under those condi-
tions? broken arm. rough ice.
twilight and furious bear few
yards from you. No hope of assist
ance. as / knew the cook to be the
only one up and at that moment
trying hot cakes in the galley ]
started to run. and think may
rightly say ] ran for dear life But
you know an invalid is no match
for bear. and the ,sult was clear
from the start
We reached the gangway at the
same time. As ! turned to run up
l was knocked down by the bear.
Unfortunately. fell on the broken
arm. and the pain was indescribable
However. there was no time for pain
The bear stood over me and I Law
face down. / kept still, i do not
think even drew breath. It could
not have lasted many seconds. / sup
pose, although the time seemed long
enough to me. expected TO be f11-
1shed any time, but my time was not
up yet. Jacob. who all this time had
been on board. decided suddenly to
take another trip of inspection, inter-
ested, l suppose, in the little cub
This idea of Jacobs proved to be my
salvation. AS soon as Jacob pass ed
US running down the gangway. the
mother bear made AN enormous jump
out on the ice and left me. do not
need to tell you that no Marathon
runner. even were he a Finlander
would have had chance to pass me
on that gangway. I reached deck in
a most deplorable state. / was GER
tain my arm was broken over and
over again.
Battle Ends Both Bears.
My caribou dress was torn to pieces
and hung in rags down nay back. I
could feel the blood running. By
howl WAS met by the meteorological,
DR.. Sverdrup, and the cook, Mr.. West
ing. Even the noise Of the frying
hot cakes could not quiet the noise I
made coming on deck. Quick boys,
quick. get your guns and fetch me
that bear!" At the word bear" they
both ran into the cabin and returned
with their guns. The bear had now
had left me, and under wild bowls
she pounded the snow where 1 had
been and threw it high in the air.
She was furious, no doubt. She had
lost me. l was grateful, seeing the
treatment the snow got. knew
that II I had got the same there
would not have been left mincemeat
enough for a decent burial. The
boys finished both mother and
daughter.
The Winter set IN rapidly now and
in a few days we lost the sun. 1t is
sad to lose the sight of the sun. Most
people never stop to realize what a
good friend the sun is. You must be
months without it. then you would
understand. But the Arctic traveller
has a wonderful substitute in the
moon. Nowhere shines the moonsso
brightly. nowhere rs it more praised
And then you have the most won
derful phenomena of them all-the
aurora borealis. People mostly COM
bine polar exploration with laziness.
but as far as my own expeditions are
concerned they are wrong. I never
saw more work and with more good
will than during these trips into the
frozen north. No unions, no strikes,
no sabotage. Under such conditions
time passes quickly. Although there
fell very little snow during " inter,
the ship was soon drifted down.
Around Christmas we could easily
walk over the bulwarks right on
board. T;ie bears took advantage of
IT. One aight we were all sound
asleep WHEN couple of us-I say
with intention, couple because the
rest never woke up for any noise
were awakened by, some strange
sounds over our heads. We listened
a little, and then there was no
doubt-bears! We tried to get up as
quickly as possible. but the bears
were quicker. AS soon as we
emerged two big bears jumped over
the side and disappeared. This noe
turnal visit had much moro serious
consequences than we ever thought
Of. When we let our dogs loose In
the morning seven OF them got on
the bears track and made straight
over the ice9 Fivesof then,--the best
we had--neyerS returned. That Grip
pied our pulling power and prevented
US from doing the work we intended
to do.
Disappeintnsst IN Plans.
Winter passed and Spring arrived.
The Arctic Springs are unforgettable.
The first bird arriving. Is accepted rs