Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

Three of the crew of the steamship Intrepid, Captain Soutar, had a very exciting adventure at the Greenland sea fishery this season. During the time that their vessel was fast beset among the ice, three of the crew-Thomas Royall, Wolverhampton, James Winter, Peterhead, and William Mulligan, Dundee-set out one day to pay a visit to the ship Perseverance, of Peterhead, which lay apparently about four miles distant. After walking about two miles it was seen that the distance between the two ships had been misjudged, and that in reality they were six miles apart, and the dangerous nature of the journey began to dawn upon the seamen when they realized how far they were from the vessel, the sealing clubs being the only weapons with which they were armed. They deliberated whether it would not be the best course to return to their ship. One of the trio insisted on making the journey, while the others were of the opinion that they should give up the attempt.
In the midst of the debate a she bear, with one cub, arrived, and as she was fast coming up between the men and their ship, the only chance of escape was to run on in the hope of reaching the Perseverance. When the men took to their heels the bear quickened her pace, and in a short time was close upon the sailors.
To attempt to face the animal with their clubs was useless, and, accordingly, one by one of the men took portions of their clothing and threw them on the ice. In this way the progress of the bear was retarded, as bruin stopped to snuff and tear at each of the articles as she came to them. By this stratagem the men were enabled to keep a little ahead for about two miles. They had parted with most of their clothing, one of them having nothing but his pants, a cravat, and a woolen shirt upon him.-He had retained possession of his club, and fastening his cravat to the end of the weapon, he waved it as a signal of distress, and fortunately the attention of the crew of the Perseverance was attracted to the perilous position of the three seamen. Several of the crew of the Perseverance immediately set out, armed with guns, and, after running about a mile, they came up to the three men, just in time to save them, as they had almost no clothing left, and were exhausted with the chase.
The bear and her cub were so close behind that the rescuers had no difficulty in dispatching them with several bullets.