ovember, water, in a broad lane, was seen to
the S.E. from the extreme of Griffith's Island, showing the pack to be
in motion in Barrow's Strait, a belief we otherwise arrived at from the
frequent appearance of a water-sky in the same direction, especially
after spring-tides or strong N.W. gales. A few bears, perhaps eight in
all, visited our ships during the closing period of 1850, showing they
did not hibernate immediately the sun disappeared; indeed, so long as
there was water near us, they would find seal, their usual, perhaps
their only, food. And, apart from the appearance of water in our
immediate neighbourhood, we were convinced that Lancaster Sound was
still open, from the sudden rise of the temperature of the air,
whenever the wind drew to that quarter; and, what was more
extraordinary still, whenever the wind was from the northward, a black
vapour, a certain indication of water, was seen to be rolling past Cape
Hotham out of Wellington Channel: could that have been open so long
after the sea in our neighbourhood was closed?

However, to return to the bears. Whenever an unlucky brute was seen,
the severe competition as to who should possess his skin, entailed no
small risk of life upon the hunters as well as the proprietor of the
coveted prize; and crossing the line of fire was recklessly performed,
in a manner to have shocked an "Excellent" gunner or a Woolwich
artilleryman. Discretion was the better part of Ursine valour, and one
brute was alone bagged, although a good many were very much frightened;
the frequent chases, and constant failures, giving rise to much
quizzing on the part of the unsportsmanlike, and learned dissertations
by the Nimrods upon the rules to be observed in bear-shooting. As
instances of what risks the community ran, whilst the furor for skins
was at its height, I will merely say, that two unconscious mortals who
had got on a hummock to see around, were mistaken in the twilight for
bears, and stood fire from a rifle, which, happily for them, on this
occasion, missed its mark; and one day, a respectable individual,
trotting among the snow ridges, was horrified to see on a piece of
canvas, in large letters, "Beware of spring-guns!" Picture to oneself
the person's feelings. How was he to escape? The next tread of his
foot, and, maybe, off into his body might be discharged the murderous
barrel secreted for a bear. Fate decreed otherwise; the alarmed seaman
escaped; and the spring-gun was b