ust have
been hundreds of them, for they were at work in all directions, and some
pushed their sharp noses into the opening where I had crept in; but I
contrived to get out my knife and saw their noses across whenever they
touched me, otherwise I should have been eaten up in a very short time.
There were so many of them, and they were so ravenous, that they soon
got through the bear's thick skin, and were tearing away at the flesh.
Now I was not so much afraid of their eating me, as I thought that if I
jumped up and discovered myself they would have all fled. No saying,
though; two or three hundred ravenous devils take courage when together;
but I was afraid that they would devour my covering from the weather,
and then I should perish with the cold; and I was also afraid of having
pieces nipped out of me, which would of course oblige me to quit my
retreat. At last daylight was made through the upper part of the
carcass, and I was only protected by the ribs of the animal, between
which every now and then their noses dived and nipped my sealskin
jacket. I was just thinking of shouting to frighten them away, when I
heard the report of half-a-dozen muskets, and some of the bullets struck
the carcass, but fortunately did not hit me. I immediately halloed as
loud as I could, and the men, hearing me, ceased firing. They had fired
at the foxes, little thinking that I was inside of the bear. I crawled
out; the storm was over, and the men of the ship had come back to look
for me. My brother, who was also a mate on board of the vessel, who had
not been with the first party, had joined them in the search, but with
little hopes of finding me alive. He hugged me in his arms, covered as
I was with blood, as soon as he saw me. He's dead now, poor fellow--
That's the story, Jacob."

"Thank you, sir," replied I; but perceiving that the memory of his
brother affected him, I did not speak again for a few minutes. We then
resumed our conversation, and pulling back with the tide, landed at the
wharf.

On the day of the dinner party I went up to Mr Turnbull's at three
o'clock as he had proposed. I found the house in a bustle; Mr and Mrs
Turnbull, with the butler and footman, in the dining-room, debating as
to the propriety of _this_ and _that_ being placed _here_ and _there_,
both servants giving their opinion, and arguing on a footing of
equality, contradicting and insisting, Mr Turnbull occasionally
throwing in a word, and each