breaking a hole in the thin ice of the sheltered _polina_, or sheet
of soft ice. Here the cunning animal lay in wait. How long he had been
lying it was impossible to say, but almost as Sakalar crouched down
to watch, a seal came to the surface, and lay against the den of its
enemy to breathe. A heavy paw was passed through the hole, and the
sea-cow was killed in an instant. A naturalist would have admired
the wit of the ponderous bear, and passed on; but the Siberian hunter
knows no such thought, and as the animal issued forth to seize his
prey, a heavy ball, launched with unerring aim, laid him low.

Sakalar now turned away in search of his companions, whose aid was
required to secure a most useful addition to their store of food; and
as he did so, he heard a distant and plaintive howl. He hastened in
the direction, and in a quarter of an hour came to the mouth of a
narrow gut between two icebergs. The stick of the harness had caught
in the fissure, and checked the dogs, who were barking with rage.
Sakalar caught the bridle, which had been jerked out of his hand,
and turned the dogs round. The animals followed his guidance, and he
succeeded, after some difficulty, in bringing them to where lay his
game. He then fastened the bear and seal, both dead and frozen even in
this short time, and joined his companions.

For several days the same kind of difficulties had to be overcome, and
then they reached the _sayba_, where the provisions had been placed in
the summer. It was a large rude box, erected on piles, and the whole
stock was found safe. As there was plenty of wood in this place they
halted to rest the dogs and re-pack the sledges. The tent was pitched,
and they all thought of repose. They were now about wholly to quit the
land, and to venture in a north-westerly direction on the Frozen Sea.