letters from high latitudes-第40节

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than　shouted；　〃If　you　please；　my　Lord！〃（as　I　have　already　said；　Wilson　never　forgot　les　convenances）〃If　you　please；　my　Lord；　there's　a　b…e…a…a…a…a…r！〃　prolonging　the　last　word　into　a　polysyllable　of　fearful　import。　Concluding　by　the　enthusiasm　he　was　exhibiting；　that　the　animal　in　question　was　at　his　heels；hidden　from　us　probably　by　the　inequality　of　the　ground；I　cocked　my　rifle；　and　prepared　to　roll　him　over　the　moment　he　should　appear　in　sight。　But　what　was　my　disappointment；　when；　on　looking　towards　the　schooner；　my　eye　caught　sight　of　our　three　boats　fastened　in　a　row；　and　towing　behind　them　a　white　floating　object；　which　my　glass　only　too　surely　resolved　the　next　minute　into　the　dead　bear！

On　descending　to　the　shore；　I　learned　the　whole　story。　As　Mr。　Wyse　was　pacing　the　deck；　his　attention　was　suddenly　attracted　by　a　white　speck　in　the　water；　swimming　across　from　Prince　Charles's　Foreland；the　long　island　which　lies　over　against　English　Bay。　When　first　observed；　the　creature；　whatever　it　might　be；　was　about　a　mile　and　a　half　off；the　width　of　the　channel　between　the　island　and　the　main　being　about　five　miles。　Some　said　it　was　a　bird；　others　a　whale；　and　the　cook　suggested　a　mermaid。　When　the　fact　was　ascertained　that　it　was　a　BONA　FIDE　bear；　a　gun　was　fired　as　a　signal　for　us　to　return；　but　it　was　evident　that　unless　at　once　intercepted；　Bruin　would　get　ashore。　Mr。　Wyse；　therefore；　very　properly　determined　to　make　sure　of　him。　This　was　a　matter　of　no　difficulty：　the　poor　beast　showed　very　little　fight。　His　first　impulse　was　to　swim　away　from　the　boat；　and　even　after　he　had　been　wounded；　he　only　turned　round　once　or　twice　upon　his　pursuers。　The　honour　of　having　given　him　his　death　wound　rests　between　the　steward　and　Mr。　Wyse；　both　contend　for　it。　The　evidence　is　conflicting；　as　at　least　half…a…dozen　mortal　wounds　were　found　in　the　animal's　body；　each　maybe　considered　to　have　had　a　share　in　his　death。　Mr。　Grant　rests　his　claim　principally　upon　the　fact　of　his　having　put　two　bullets　in　my　new　rifle　which　must　have　greatly　improved　the　bore　of　that　instrument。　　On　the　strength　of　this　precaution；　he　now　wears　as　an　ornament　about　his　person　one　of　the　bullets　extracted　from　the　gizzard　of　our　prize。

All　this　time；　Wilson　was　at　the　tent；　busily　occupied　in　taking　photographs。　As　soon　as　the　bear　was　observed；　a　signal　was　made　to　him　from　the　ship；　to　warn　him　of　the　visitor　he　might　shortly　expect　on　shore。　Naturally　concluding　that　the　bear　would　in　all　probability　make　for　the　tent　as　soon　as　he　reached　land；　it　became　a　subject　of　consideration　with　him　what　course　he　should　pursue。　Weapons　he　had　none；　unless　the　chemicals　he　was　using　might　be　so　regarded。　Should　he　try　the　influence　of　chloroform　on　his　enemy；　or　launch　the　whole　photographic　apparatus　at　his　grisly　head；　and　take　to　his　heels？　Thought　is　rapid；　but　the　bear's　progress　seemed　equally　expeditious；　it　was　necessary　to　arrive　at　some　speedy　conclusion。　To　flywas　to　desert　his　post　and　leave　the　camp　in　possession　of　the　spoiler；　life　and　honour　were　equally　dear　to　him。　　Suddenly　a　bright　idea　struck　him。

At　the　time　the　goat　had　been　disembarked　to　take　her　pleasure　on　TERRA　FIRMA；　our　crow's…nest　barrel　had　been　landed　with　her。　At　this　moment　it　was　standing　unoccupied　by　the　side　of　the　tent。　By　creeping　into　it；　and　turning　its　mouth　downward　on　the　ground；　Wilson　perceived　that　he　should　convert　it　into　a　tower　of　strength　for　himself　against　the　enemy；　while　its　legitimate　occupant；　becoming　at　once　a　victim　to　the　bear's　voracity；　would　probably　prevent　the　monster　from　investigating　too　curiously　its　contents。　It　was　quite　a　pity　that　the　interposition　of　the　boats　prevented　his　putting　this　ingenious　plan　into　execution。　He　had　been　regularly　done　out　of　a　situation；　in　which　the　most　poignant　agony　of　mind　and　dreary　anticipations　would　have　been　absolutely　required　of　him。　He　pictured　the　scene　to　himself；　he　lying　fermenting　in　the　barrel；　like　a　curious　vintage；　the　bear　sniffing　querulously　round　it；　perhaps　cracking　it　like　a　cocoa…nut；　or　extracting　him　like　a　periwinkle！　Of　these　chances　he　had　been　deprived　by　the　interference　of　the　crew。　Friends　are　often　injudiciously　meddling。

Although　I　felt　a　little　vexation　that　one　of　us　should　not　have　had　the　honour　of　slaying　the　bear　in　single　combat；　which　would　certainly　have　been　for　the　benefit　of　his　skin；　the　unexpected　luck　of　having　got　one　at　all；　made　us　quite　forget　our　personal　disappointment。　As　for　my　people；　they　were　beside　themselves　with　delight。　To　have　killed　a　polar　bear　was　a　great　thing；　but　to　eat　him　would　be　a　greater。　　If　artistically　dealt　with；　his　carcase　would　probably　cut　up　into　a　supply　of　fresh　meat　for　many　days。　One　of　the　hands　appened　to　be　a　butcher。　Whenever　I　wanted　anything　a　little　out　of　the　way　to　be　done　on　board；　I　was　sure　to　find　that　it　happened　to　be　the　specialite　of　some　one　of　the　ship's　company。　In　the　course　of　a　few　hours；　the　late　bear　was　converted　into　a　row　of　the　most　tempting　morsels　of　beef；　hung　about　the　rigging。　Instead　of　in　flags；　the　ship　was　dressed　in　joints。　In　the　meantime　it　so　happened　that　the　fox；　having　stolen　a　piece　of　offal；　was　in　a　few　minutes　afterwards　seized　with　convulsions。　I　had　already　given　orders　that　the　bear's　liver　should　be　thrown　overboard；　as　being；　if　not　poisonous；　at　all　events　very　unwholesome。　　The　seizure　of　the　fox；　coupled　with　this　injunction；　brought　about　a　complete　revolution　in　the　men's　minds；　with　regard　to　the　delicacies　they　had　been　so　daintily　preparing　for　themselves。　Silently；　one　by　one；　the　pieces　were　untied　and　thrown　into　the　sea：　I　do　not　think　a　mouthful　of　bear　was　eaten　on　board　the　〃Foam。〃　I　never　heard　whether　it　was　in　consequence　of　any　prognostics　of　Wilson's　that　this　act　of　self…denial　was　put　into　practice。　I　observed；　however；　that　for　some　days　after　the　slaughter　and　dismemberment　of　the　bear；　my　ship's　company　presented　an　unaccountably　sleek　appearance。　As　for　the　steward；　his　head　and　whiskers　seemed　carved　out　of　black　marble：　a　varnished　boot　would　not　have　looked　half　so　bright：　I　could　have　seen　to　shave　myself　in　his　black　hair。　I　conclude；　therefore；　that　the　ingenious　cook　must；　at　all　events；　have　succeeded　in　manufacturing　a　supply　of　genuine　bear's　grease；　of　which　they　had　largely　availed　themselves。

The　bagging　of　the　bear　had　so　gloriously　crowned　our　visit　to　Spitzbergen；　that　our　disappointment　about　the　deer　was　no　longer　thought　of；　it　was　therefore　with　light　hearts；　and　most　complete　satisfaction；　that　we　prepared　for　departure。

Maid　Marian　had　already　carved　on　a　flat　stone　an　inscription；　in　Roman　letters；　recording　the　visit　of　the　〃Foam〃　to　English　Bay；　and　a　cairn　having　been　erected　to　receive　it；　the　tablet　was　solemnly　lifted　to　its　resting…place。　Underneath　I　placed　a　tin　box；　containing　a　memorandum　similar　to　that　left　at　Jan　Mayen；　as　well　as　a　printed　dinner　invitation　from　Lady　；　which　I　happened　to　have　on　board。　Having　planted　a　boat's　flag　beside　the　rude　monument；　and　brought　on　board　with　us　a　load　of　driftwood；　to　serve　hereafter　as　Christmas　yule…logs；　we　bade　an　eternal　adieu　to　the　silent　hills　around　us；　and　weighing　anchor；　stood　out　to　sea。　For　some　hours　a　lack　of　wind　still　left　us　hanging　about　the　shore；　in　the　midst　of　a　grave　society　of　seals；　but　soon　after；　a　gentle　breeze　sprang　up　in　the　south；　and　about　three　o'clock　on　Friday；　the　11th　of　August；　we　again　found　ourselves　spanking　along　before　a　six…knot　breeze；　over　the　pale　green　sea。

In　considering　the　course　on　which　I　should　take　the　vessel　home；　it　appeared　to　me　that　in　all　probability　we　should　have　been　much　less　pestered　by　the　ice　on　our　way　to　Spitzbergen；　if；　instead　of　hugging　the　easterly　ice；　we　had　kept　more　away　to　the　westward；　I　determined　thereforeas　soon　as　we　got　clear　of　the　landto　stand　right　over　to　the　Greenland　shore；　on　a　due　west　course；　and　not　to　attempt　to　make　any　southing；　until　we　should　have　struck　the　Greenland　ice。　The　length　of　our　tether　in　that　direction　being　ascertained；　we　could　then　judge　of　the　width　of　the　channel　down　which　we　were　to　beat；　for　it　was　still　blowing　pretty　fresh　from　the　southward。

Up　to　the　evening　of　the　day　on　which　we　quitted　English　Bay；　the　weather　had　been　most　beautiful；　calm；　sunshiny；　dry；　and　pleasant。　Within　a　few　hours　of　our　getting　under　weigh；　a　great　change　had　taken　place；　and　by　midnight　it　had　become　as　foggy　and　disagreeable　as　ever。　The　sea　was　pretty　clear。　During　the　few　days　we　had　been　on　shore；　the　northerly　current　had　brushed　away　the　great　angular　field　of　ice　which　had　lain　off　the　shore；　in　a　northwest　direction；　so　that　instead　of　being　obliged　to　run　up　very　nearly　to　the　80th　parallel；　in　order　to　round　it；　we　were　enabled　to　sail　to　the　westward　at　once。　During　the　course　of　the　night；　we　came　upon　one　or　two　wandering　patches　of　drift　ice；　but　so　loosely　packed　that　we　had　no　difficulty　in　pushing　through　them。　About　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　a　long　line　of　close　ice　was　reported　right　a…head；　stretching　south　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　　We　had　come　about　eighty　miles　since　leaving　Spitzbergen。　　The　usual　boundary　of　the　Greenla