stefansson-wrangel-09-25-006-018

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Although the best season, for bears was over, there were
stragglers around in December but in most cases some adcident allowed the
bears to get away - usually the inadequate light and the fact that they ordi-
narily came around at night. The entry for December 13th is typical although
it records better fortune than ordinary. "Arose early to go sealing but there
was a fresh breeze from the north, cloudy and foggy, consequently nearly dark
(even at noon). Galle went to his traps and I went to the trapping camp
(of Crawford and Maurer) to haul them a big log for firewood. A bear had
been at their camp yesterday and had tried to come into their storm shed,
but he left rather hurriedly after some ineffectual shooting. It was nearly
dark when I started home and blowing a gale from the north and drifting so
thick that at times I could not see the leader. But, like the good dog he
is, he did not leave the trail once. But the best news of all I received
from Galle. Coming home about an hour before me he was a bear/alongsidexxxxxx of the
house eating some walrus skin. He shot once and hit the bear but it did not
stop until Galle fired again, the bear being by this time on the ice. It
was skinned and cut up when I got home."

December 16: "I went to the other camp, taking them some
bear meat, and hauled some wood for them. Galle went to the traps but got
nothing. He saw a bear out on the ice but before he could get within shooting
distance the bear turned out on the sea ice and escaped." "Maurer and
Crawford are planning coming to this camp for Christmas."

On December 24th: "I went to the other camp and found
that a bear had been there this morning while they were asleep but before they
got out it had become frightened and had run away." Such entries are numerous
and show that the party were still extremely optimistic. On journeys when Knight
had been with me and on others of which he must have heard us talking, frequently,
we used to take turns day and night watching so that no animal that approached