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226 T H R O U G H T H E M A C K E N Z I E B A S IN
his well- earned dinner, and at the same time determined to
stand by his hard- won prize. At first M r . H a c k l a n d thought
we might be able to secure h i m alive, b y noosing h i m w i t h a
stout rope while i n the water, but soon gave up the idea as
too dangerous, and we then, some s i x or seven men w i t h guns,
fired repeatedly at the bear while on the ice and swimming
i n the sea, at very close quarters; but although many of the
bullets went wide of the mark, the shooters being mostly
youngsters of l i t t l e experience, we afterwards ascertained
that it had taken a number of penetrating ones to oblige h im
to crouch down and appear to die. A f t e r most of our p a r t y had
landed on the same large block of ice, i n order to take possession
of their prey, one of tbem, with gun s t i l l loaded,
noticed i n time a rather sudden movement of the bear, which
might have resulted disastrously had he not been promptly
finished by a b a l l through his head. He had been m o r t a l ly
wounded, but he no doubt feigned death i n order to avenge
himseH, and would probably have succeeded had he not been
k i l l e d outright as stated. We towed his carcase to the ship,
and it was at once hoisted on board and well skinned by
expert Greenland whale- fishery men among the crew. He
was very fat and heavy. Soon after our return a severe
gale sprang up, which enabled us to leave the ice fields for
gord.
Except for 1902 and 1903, when 170 and 96 skins, respectively,
were sold i n London, I have no idea of the Company's
annual sales of this species. A l l the skins are
obtained from natives of the A r c t i c coast, Hudson Bay,
Ungava, and Labrador. When the N o r t h P o l e is discovered,
as I expect i t w i l l be some day, I believe the white bear w i ll
be one of the very few mammals found there. I t h i n k every
A r c t i c - e x p l o r i n g and F r a n k l i n search- expedition refers to
the presence of this animal i n the polar seas of Greenland
and the D o m i n i o n . The Investigator secured four large
specimens i n P r i n c e of Wales S t r a i t , and Doctor A r m s t r o ng
calls B a r i n g Island " the L a n d of the P o l a r B e a r . " Sir
Leopold M c C l i n t o c k observed several i n d i v i d u a l s when drift-
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| Title | Page 249 |
| OCR | 226 T H R O U G H T H E M A C K E N Z I E B A S IN his well- earned dinner, and at the same time determined to stand by his hard- won prize. At first M r . H a c k l a n d thought we might be able to secure h i m alive, b y noosing h i m w i t h a stout rope while i n the water, but soon gave up the idea as too dangerous, and we then, some s i x or seven men w i t h guns, fired repeatedly at the bear while on the ice and swimming i n the sea, at very close quarters; but although many of the bullets went wide of the mark, the shooters being mostly youngsters of l i t t l e experience, we afterwards ascertained that it had taken a number of penetrating ones to oblige h im to crouch down and appear to die. A f t e r most of our p a r t y had landed on the same large block of ice, i n order to take possession of their prey, one of tbem, with gun s t i l l loaded, noticed i n time a rather sudden movement of the bear, which might have resulted disastrously had he not been promptly finished by a b a l l through his head. He had been m o r t a l ly wounded, but he no doubt feigned death i n order to avenge himseH, and would probably have succeeded had he not been k i l l e d outright as stated. We towed his carcase to the ship, and it was at once hoisted on board and well skinned by expert Greenland whale- fishery men among the crew. He was very fat and heavy. Soon after our return a severe gale sprang up, which enabled us to leave the ice fields for gord. Except for 1902 and 1903, when 170 and 96 skins, respectively, were sold i n London, I have no idea of the Company's annual sales of this species. A l l the skins are obtained from natives of the A r c t i c coast, Hudson Bay, Ungava, and Labrador. When the N o r t h P o l e is discovered, as I expect i t w i l l be some day, I believe the white bear w i ll be one of the very few mammals found there. I t h i n k every A r c t i c - e x p l o r i n g and F r a n k l i n search- expedition refers to the presence of this animal i n the polar seas of Greenland and the D o m i n i o n . The Investigator secured four large specimens i n P r i n c e of Wales S t r a i t , and Doctor A r m s t r o ng calls B a r i n g Island " the L a n d of the P o l a r B e a r . " Sir Leopold M c C l i n t o c k observed several i n d i v i d u a l s when drift- |
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