In the ravines, however, it
could be heard trickling under stones before that time; and about the
18th, many considerable streams were formed, and constantly running both
night and day. After this the thawing proceeded at an inconceivably
rapid rate, the whole surface of the floes being covered with large
pools of water rapidly increasing in size and depth.
The animals seen at Port Bowen may now be briefly noticed. The principal
of these seen during the winter were bears, of which we killed twelve
from October to June, being more than during all the other voyages
taken together; and several others were seen. One of these animals was
near proving fatal to a seaman of the Fury, who, having straggled from
his companions, when at the top of a high hill saw a large bear coming
towards him. Being unarmed, he prudently made off, taking off his boots
to enable him to run the faster, but not so prudently precipitated
himself over an almost perpendicular cliff, down which he was said to
have rolled or fallen several hundred feet; here he was met by some of
the people in so lacerated a condition as to be in a very dangerous
state for some time after.
A she-bear, killed in the open water on our first arrival at Port Bowen,
afforded a striking instance of maternal affection in her anxiety to
save her two cubs.
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