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£1O THIRD VOYAGE OF THE DUTCH
On the twentieth and twenty-firft the wind blew from the N. FE. and brought back
theice: neverthelefs, with the confent of the mafter, each began to prepare his clothes,
and what he imagined he fhould particularly want for the voyage. On the twenty-fifth
they obferved the altitude in the afternoon, and found themfelves in lat. 76°, as they
had done before. On the twenty-fixth and twenty-feventh the fame N. E. wind blow-
ing violently, again brought more ice. ‘The crew having taken occafion from this to
urge the mafter, he permitted them to commence the work of equipment; and on the
following day feven of them went to the veffel and brought every thing that was necef-
fary, among others the old forematt fail, to make fails, fome running rigging from the
packets of ropes, and other articles.
On, the twenty-ninth ten men went to the fchuyt to craw it to the hut and refit it.
It was fo buried in the fnow that they had great difficulty to difengage it ; but they were
not able to drawit after them on account of their weak ftate, which occafioned the moft
poignant grief, becaufe they then feared they fhould end their days there. The mafter
exhorted them brifkly to exert all their efforts, telling them that in fact, unlefs they were
willing to become citizens of Novaya Zemlia, and very foon to prepare their graves
there, they muft recover the fchuyt, and that the hopes of return depended on it ; the
ftrongeft and moft affecting remonftrance that could have been made.
But of what little avail are words and reafons againft a phyfical impoffibility ! Weak-
ened by long exertions, and already fatigued with the labour, they were not able to
proceed: they repofed themfelves, and having dined, they returned again to try their
ftrenoth. The fhallop, which lay with the keel upwards, was again overturned near
the hut, and they began to repair it.
While they were labouring with ardour, they perceived a frightful bear coming to-
wards them: they immediately re-entered the hut, where they waited at all the three
doors with firelocks, and a fourth mounted the, chimney with a mufket. ‘The bear
walked towards them with as much fiercenefs as any before, and approached to the
declivity of the fteps of one of the doors, where he was not perceived by the man on
guard there, who was then looking towards the other door. ‘Thofe who were within
feeing the bear, cried out for him to take care of himfelf: he turned his head, and not-
withftanding the fright he was in, he fired his gun, which having wounded the bear in
the body, he fled.
This fpectacle was diftreffing to thofe who beheld it, for when the man perceived the
bear, that ferocious bea{t was clofe to him, ready to tear him to pieces; and if the prime
of the gun had not taken fire, as fometimes happens, there is no doubt he would have
been devoured. Perhaps the animal would even have entered the hut, where he would
4ave made a dreadful carnage.
In the mean time, the wound he had received prevented him from fleeing very far.
When they perceived him ftop, they ran to him with their arms, and having killed him,
they ripped up his belly, where they found pieces of fea-dogs yet entire, with the fkin
and hair, which indicated that they had only jult been devoured.
On the thirtieth all thofe who were ina condition to work at the refitting of the bark
employed themfelves, and the others mended the fails, or made in the hut other necef-
fary things for their departure. Another bear came again to prefent himfelf to the
workmen without, who killed him. On the laft day of the month, while they were en-
gaged in their moft laborious work, there came again a frefh one, who walked fiercely
towards them. It feemed as if thefe animals perceived that their prey was about to
efcape, and which they wifhed to prevent by returning three fucceflive days.
It was therefore neceffary to quit their work and retire to their hut; the bear or
2 them ;
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