After leaving Marble Island we sailed toward Depot Island, Cape
Fullerton, and Whale Point, so that we might see any other ships that
had come in this season and get some news from them. We found plenty of
ice in Daly Bay and the entrance to Rowe's Welcome, the ice bridge
still extending from near Whale Point to Southampton Island.
On Sunday the 8th of August, while moving slowly through the ice-pack
off Cape Fullerton, we saw a she-bear and cub asleep on a large cake of
ice about a quarter of a mile from the ship, and one of the boats was
lowered to go in pursuit. Lieutenant Schwatka, Mr. Williams, and I went
in the boat, and quite enjoyed the exciting chase. Before the boat was
lowered the bears seemed aware of the presence of danger, and took to
the water, the old one in her motherly anxiety for the safety of her
cub carrying it on her back most of the time. When they found the boat
gaining upon them, and close at hand, they left the water and stood at
bay on a cake of ice. A bullet from Lieutenant Schwatka's rifle broke
the mother's backbone and she dropped, when Mr. Williams gave her the
"coup de grace" with a bullet through her head at close range. We
were quite anxious to capture the little fellow alive, but found it
difficult to kill the mother without wounding him, as he clung to her
poor wounded body with the most touching tenacity.
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