water; it measured above half a mile in length. As we could take but
a small quantity of such a monstrous animal on board, we got our boats
out, and with much difficulty cut off his head, where, to our great joy,
we found the anchor, and above forty fathom of the cable concealed on
the left side of his mouth, just under his tongue. (Perhaps this was the
cause of his death, as that side of his tongue was much swelled, with a
great degree of inflammation.) This was the only extraordinary
circumstance of this voyage.

VIII

We all remember Captain Phipp's (now Lord Mulgrave) last voyage of
discovery to the north. I accompanied the Captain, not as an officer,
but a private friend. When we arrived in a high northern latitude I was
viewing the objects around me with the telescope, when I thought I saw
two large white bears in violent action upon a body of ice considerably
above the masts, and about half a league distant. I immediately took my
carbine, slung it across my shoulder, and ascended the ice. When I
arrived at the top, the unevenness of the surface made my approach to
those animals troublesome and hazardous beyond expression: sometimes
hideous cavities opposed me, which I was obliged to spring over; in
other parts the surface was as smooth as a mirror, and I was continually
falling: as I approached near enough to reach them, I found they were
only at play. I immediately began to calculate the value of their skins,
for they were each as large as a well-fed ox: unfortunately the very
instant I was presenting my carbine my right foot slipped, and I fell
upon my back, and the violence of the blow deprived me totally of my
senses for nearly half an hour; however, when I recovered, judge of my
surprise at finding one of those large animals I have just been
describing had turned me upon my face, and was just laying hold of the
waistband of my breeches, which were then new and made of leather: he
was certainly going to carry me feet foremost, God knows where, when I
took this knife (showing a large clasp knife) out of my side pocket,
made a chop at one of his hind feet, and cut off three of his toes; he
immediately let me drop, and roared most horribly. I took up my carbine,
and fired at him as he ran off; he fell directly. The noise of the piece
roused several thousands of these white bears, who were asleep upon the
ice within half a mile of me; they came immediately to the spot. There
was no time to be lost. A mo