In this extremity
Peter Grim seized a hatchet and ran towards the bear, while O'Riley
charged it with a spear. Grim delivered a tremendous blow at its head
with his weapon; but his intention was better than his aim, for he
missed the bear and smashed the corner of a hummock of ice. O'Riley was
more successful. He thrust the spear into the animal's shoulder; but the
shoulder-blade turned the head of the weapon, and caused it to run along
at least three feet just under the skin. The wound, although not fatal,
was so painful that Bruin uttered a loud roar of disapproval, wheeled
round, and ran away!--an act of cowardice so unusual on the part of a
Polar bear that the whole party were taken by surprise. Several shots
were fired after him, but he soon disappeared among the ice-hummocks,
having fairly made off with O'Riley's spear.
The disappointment caused by this was great, but they had little time to
think of it, for soon after a stiff breeze of wind sprang up, which
freshened into a gale, compelling them to seek the shelter of a cluster
of icebergs, in the midst of which they built a snow-hut. Before night a
terrific storm was raging, with the thermometer 40 deg. below zero. The sky
became black as ink, drift whirled round them in horrid turmoil, and the
wild blast came direct from the north, over the frozen sea, shrieking
and howling in its strength and fury.
All that night and the next day it continued.
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