"Nearer and nearer came this object, and our wonder increased. Presently
we heard a cry.

"'Hark!' said the Dean.

"The cry was repeated.

"'A dog!' exclaimed the Dean.

"'A dog!' said I, in answer, for I heard it distinctly.

"'Hark!' said the Dean again, for there was another sound.

"'A man,' said I.

"'A man!' repeated the Dean, excitedly.

"And a man it was.

"Dogs and men! what could they be doing there? was the question that ran
through both our minds at once.

"But dogs and a man (not men) there were, and whatever they might be
doing there, or whence they might have come, it was certain that dogs
and a man made the dark spot which we saw upon the white sea; and it
was, moreover, clear that they were pursuing the bear which had passed
us and was now pretty far away.

"Nearer and nearer came the dogs and man, and the sounds became more and
more distinct; the dogs were upon the bear's tracks, the man was upon a
sledge to which the dogs were fastened. At length they came so near that
the dogs could be easily counted. They were seven, and all of different
colors, and were fastened with long lines to the sledge, so that they
were a great way in front of it, and they were running all abreast. They
were straining and pressing into their collars, all the while crying
impatiently, as they bounded over the snow at a rapid gallop. The man
was encouraging them along all he could with a long whip, which he threw
out with a lively snap, exclaiming, 'Ka-ka! ka-ka!' over and over again;
and then, 'Nen-ook, nen-ook, nen-ook!'--many times repeated; for he was
now so near that we could distinguish every word he said.

"It was a wild chase, and the Dean and I became much excited over it,
running all the time to get nearer to the passing sledge and man and
dogs.

"Very soon we should have met, but suddenly the bear came in full view
of the dogs, evidently for the first time. Up to this moment the dogs
had only been following the track.

"The dogs, now leaving the track, gave a wild, concerted howl, and
dashed off after the bear in a straight line. Man, sledge, dogs, and all
passed us quickly by,--the man shouting more excitedly than ever to his
dogs, sometimes calling them by name, as it seemed to us, and sometimes
crying 'Nen-ook, nen-ook!' and sometimes, 'Ka-ka! ka-ka!' and so away
they went, rushing like the wind,--the whole scene more strange than
strangest dream,--the dogs and man like spectral things, so qui