Chapter 21 Chapter 21 The Big Polar Bear

The only one of the four windows that can look out into the fort yard is the one at the end of the entrance passage. Glass.According to the lieutenant's orders, this job was done several times a day.While observing the area around Bathurst Point, people also scrutinized sky conditions and mercury thermometers placed outside. At 11 o'clock in the morning on January 6, Cayley, the soldier in charge of the observation, suddenly called the sergeant and pointed out to him some shadows swaying in the dark. Sergeant Long looked near the window and said simply: "It's a bear!"

Indeed, six bears had crossed the fence fence and were heading towards the house, attracted by the smell of the smoke. As soon as Jasper Hobson learned of the presence of these formidable predators, he ordered the passage windows to be secured from the inside.This was the only opening, and once it was blocked, it seemed that the bears would not be able to enter the house.The window was tightly closed, with a thick wooden bar from Master Mac Knapp, but a narrow opening was left to observe the unwelcome visitors outside. "Now," said the master carpenter, "these gentlemen cannot come in without our permission. We have time, then, to discuss it."

"Then, Mr. Hobson," said Mrs. Paulina Barnett, "we have nothing left for our winter life! The cold is gone, and the bears come." "The cold is not over, ma'am," replied Lieutenant Hobson, "but what's more, it's still 'in', and it's keeping us from going out! I don't know how we're going to get out of these brutal beast." "But they will lose their patience, I suppose," said the traveler, "and they will return as they came!" "You don't know these beasts, ma'am," he answered, "they're starving in the cold winter, and they won't leave the place unless they're driven away by force."

"You worry, then, Mr. Hobson?" asked Mrs. Polina Barnett. "Neither worried nor worried," replied the lieutenant. "The bears, I know they can't get in the house; but we, I don't know how we'll get out, if we must!" After speaking, Jasper Hobson returned to the window.Meanwhile, Mrs. Paulina Barnett, March, and the other women gathered around the sergeant, listening to the brave soldier, who had been there before, talk about "the bear problem."Sergeant Long had dealt with these predators many times, and encounters with bears were common, even in the South, but he generally succeeded in subduing them in that case.Here, people are besieged, and the cold makes it impossible to get out.

Throughout the day, the comings and goings of the bears were carefully monitored.Now and then a bear put its big head against the glass and let out a low growl.After conferring with Sergeant Long, Lieutenant Hobson and Sergeant Long decided that if the bears did not leave the place, they should be driven away by punching holes in the wall.But it was also decided to wait a day or two before taking this offensive approach, because Jasper Hobson didn't want any communication between the outside temperature and the indoor temperature, which was already very low.Even the walrus oil used to fuel the fire froze into a hard mass of ice that had to be hacked with an axe.

And so the day passed.The bear walked up and down and circled the house without making any direct attacks.Soldiers watched all night, and by just before 4:00 a.m., it appeared the attackers had left the compound.Anyway, they never showed up again. But around seven o'clock, when Marbor went up to the attic to fetch food, he came down immediately, saying that it was a bear walking on the roof. Jasper Hobson, Sergeant, Mike Knapp, and two or three other companions took up arms and rushed to the passage ladder, where a flap gave access to the attic.But the attic was so cold that within a few minutes Lieutenant Hobson and his companions could no longer even hold a gun in their hands.The moisture they breathed formed ice and fell around them.

Marbor was not mistaken.Bears take over the roof.One can hear them running, their roaring.Sometimes the bear's claws cut through the ice and scratched at the planks of the roof so loudly that they were afraid they might tear them off. The lieutenant and his men were soon dazed by the unbearable cold and came back.Jasper Hobson recounts the situation. "The bear," he said, "is on the roof at this moment. It's a tricky business. We have nothing to fear, though, because the animals can't get into the room. But we're afraid they'll force their way into the attic and tear up the fur that's there. .However, these are the property of the company, and our task is to ensure that the fur is not damaged. Therefore, I ask you, friends, to help me put the fur in a safe place together."

The lieutenant's companions were immediately arranged in a trapezoid, standing on the hall, kitchen, aisle and ladder respectively.There were two or three persons in rotation,—for they could not work very long,—to carry the furs in the bitter cold of the attic, and within an hour they were stored in the hall. While this work was going on, the bear continued to work, trying to lift the rafters of the roof.In a few places, the slats can be seen bent.Master Mike Knapp was a little worried.He hadn't foreseen this overload when he built the house, fearing that the roof would fail. The day passed without the bear rushing into the attic.But an equally terrifying enemy gradually entered the room.The flame in the stove is weak.Almost out of fuel.Before twelve o'clock the last log was burnt, and the fire went out.

Death, freezing to death, the most terrifying way of death!The poor souls clung to each other and felt their body temperature drop around the cooling stove.But they have no complaints.The women also bravely endured the torture.Mrs. Mac Knapp cradled her baby convulsively against her cold breast.A few soldiers fell asleep, or rather were numb and exhausted from the cold, which could not have been sleep. At three o'clock in the morning, Jasper Hobson checked the mercury thermometer hanging on the hall wall, not ten feet from the stove. It says minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius)!

The lieutenant put his hand to his forehead and watched his companions, who huddled together in silence, for a moment he remained motionless.The breath he exhaled became semi-condensed, like a pale white mist surrounding him. At this time, a hand fell on his shoulder.He shuddered and turned around.Lady Paulina Barnet stood before him. "Something should be done, Lieutenant Hobson," the strong woman said to him, "we can't sit still!" "Yes, ma'am," replied the lieutenant, feeling empowered, "something should be done!" The Lieutenant called for Sergeant Long, Mike Knapp, and Blacksmith Ray, that is to say, the bravest men in the squad.Mrs. Polina Barnett accompanied them, and together they went to the window, and through the glass they had flushed with boiling water, they looked at the thermometer outside.

"Minus 72 degrees (minus 40 degrees Celsius!)" Jasper Hobson cried, "friends, we have only two choices: either risk our lives to get fuel, or slowly put the bench Throw in the furnaces, beds, siding, and everything that can be burned in the house! But this is expedient, because the cold is likely to continue, and there is no sign of improving the weather." "Let's take a chance!" Sergeant Long replied. This is also the opinion of the other two companions.No need to say anything, everyone tried their best to act. After discussion, the following measures were taken to preserve as far as possible the lives of those who risked their lives. The firewood hut was about fifty paces later to the left of the main house.It was decided that one of them tried to run into the warehouse.He tied a long rope around his body, and dragged another, leaving the end of the rope in the hand of his companion.Once in the woodshed, he loads the wood into the sledge; then, tying a rope to the front of the sledge so that it can be drawn into the house, and another rope to the back so that it can be pulled again Go back to the firewood hut, which establishes a shuttle connection between the firewood hut and the main house, and firewood can be obtained without much danger.A shake of the rope indicated that the sledge was either full in the woodshed or unloaded in the main house. The plan is well conceived, but there are two situations in which the plan may fail: one is that the door of the firewood storehouse may be blocked by ice, making it difficult to open; time to come.In both cases it depends on luck. Sergeant Long, Mike Knapp, and Ray were all willing to take the risk.But the sergeant drew attention to the fact that two of his comrades were married, and he insisted on doing the task himself.As for the lieutenant, he also wanted to try. "Mr Jasper," said Lady Paulina Barnett to him, "you are our leader, you are important to everyone, you have no right to take risks, let the sergeant do." Jasper Hobson understood the great responsibility his position of leadership placed upon him, and, of his three companions, he chose the sergeant.Lady Polina Barnett took the hand of brave Sergeant Long. The sleeping or comatose people in the fort had no idea what was going on. Prepare two long ropes.One, which the sergeant fastened around his body, over the warm furs he wore, which were worth more than a thousand pounds.Another, which he wore on his belt, along with a lighter and a loaded pistol.Before leaving, he drank half a glass of schnapps—“a drink of fuel,” he called it. Jasper Hobson, Lang, Ray, and Mike Knapp walked out of the hall.They passed the cold kitchen and came into the passage.From here, Ray climbed into the attic and confirmed that the bear had been on the roof.Therefore, it is time to act. The first door in the passage opened.Jasper Hobson and his companions felt cold to the marrow despite their thick leather jackets.A second door, facing directly into the courtyard, opened in front of them.They took a step back, feeling out of breath.The water vapor floating in the corridor froze, and a thin layer of snow covered the walls and floors. Outside, the climate is extremely dry.The stars shone brightly.Sergeant Long rushed into the darkness at once, dragging the rope, the other end of which remained in the hands of his companions.The outer door was immediately locked, and Jasper Hobson, Mike Knapp, and Ray went back into the corridor, locked the second door tightly, and then they waited.If Lang did not return after a few minutes, it should be assumed that he had succeeded and that he was loading the first load of firewood after entering the woodshed.If the firewood door is opened smoothly, a maximum of ten minutes is enough to complete the work.During this time, Ray watched over the attic and the bear.In the dark of night, one hopes that the sergeant's quick pass won't be seen by the bears. Ten minutes after the sergeant left, Jasper Hobson, Mike Knapp, and Ray returned to the narrow space between the two doors of the passage, where they waited for the signal to pull back the sled. 5 minutes passed.The rope they were holding on to did not move.How anxious they are!The sergeant had been gone for a quarter of an hour, more than enough time to fill a sledge, but there was no sign of it. Jasper Hobson waited another moment; then, straightening the rope, he beckoned his companion to pull with him.If the firewood was not loaded, the sergeant would hold the rope. The rope was pulled tight.A heavy object slowly slid over the ground.Soon, we came to the first door... This is the sergeant's body, with the rope attached to the belt.The unlucky Lang didn't even make it to the firewood house.He was knocked down on the road by the cold.His body, frozen in the severe cold for almost twenty minutes, can only be regarded as a corpse. Mac Knapp and Ray let out a cry of despair and carried their bodies into the passage; but when the lieutenant tried to close the door, he felt it pushed back hard.At the same time, a terrible roar came in. "Help me!" cried Jasper Hobson. Mike Knapp and Ray rushed to help.Someone else got ahead of them.It was Mrs. Polina Barnett, who had come to the Lieutenant's aid and tried to close the door.But the terrifying giant beast put its whole body weight on the door, and gradually pushed the door open, and was about to forcibly enter the aisle... At this moment Lady Polina Barnett seized the pistol in Jasper Hobson's belt, and waited calmly, waiting for the bear's head to slip between the door frame and the door, and to slam it into the beast's jaws. A shot was fired. The bear fell backwards, probably killed, and the door was shut and securely reinforced. The sergeant's body was immediately carried into the hall and laid down beside the fire.But the last bit of charcoal has been extinguished!How to revive him, poor man?How to arouse the vitality in him, which has no trace of vitality? "I'm going, I'm going! I'm going!" Blacksmith Lei cried, "I'm going to fetch firewood, or..." "Yes, Ray!" A voice appeared beside him, "Let's go together!" It was his brave wife who said it. "No, my friends, no!" cried Jasper Hobson. "You will not escape the attack of cold and the attack of bears. Burn everything that can be burned, and then, let God bless us!" So these wretched, half-frozen wretches rose to their feet, axes in hand, like madmen.The benches, tables, and wainscots were all torn down, destroyed, and reduced to pieces of wood, and the stove in the hall and the stove in the kitchen were quickly ablaze red, and a few drops of walrus oil were added to make it Burn more vigorously! The room temperature has risen by about 12 degrees.The sergeant was treated with the utmost care.They rubbed his body with mulled wine, and gradually the blood circulation in his body became normal.The tiny white spots on some parts of his body were beginning to disappear.But the unfortunate man was so cold that hours passed before he could utter a word.He was put to sleep in a warm bed, and Lady Polina Barnet and March looked after him until the next day. Jasper Hobson, Mike Knapp and Ray search for a solution to such a dire situation.Obviously, in two days at most, the new fuel borrowed from the house will also be lacking.What will happen to everyone if this chill continues?It has been 48 hours since the new moon appeared, and its appearance has not brought about an improvement in the weather.The piercing north wind howled.The barometer is still "dry and sunny", and there is not a trace of water vapor in this land made up of endless ice sheets.Therefore, people have reason to worry that the cold will continue!So, what can be done?Should I try to get firewood from the woodshed again?And this has alarmed the bear, which makes it all the more dangerous.Is it possible to go outside and fight these beasts?No, this is madness, and the result will be the sacrifice of all. However, the temperature inside was much warmer and became bearable.This morning Madame Jolliff served hot meat dishes and tea.There was no shortage of strong liquor mixed with hot sugar water, and brave Sergeant Long also had a portion.The fire is booming, raising the room temperature, and at the same time reviving the fighting spirit of these poor people.All they had to do was wait for Jasper Hobson's order to beat the bear.But the lieutenant felt that the strength of the two sides was uneven, and he didn't want everyone to take risks.The day seemed to pass without incident, but at 3 p.m., a loud bang came from the roof. "There's the bear!" cried two or three soldiers, taking up axes and pistols. Apparently the bear tore up one of the roof rafters and broke into the attic. "Nobody move!" said the lieutenant calmly. "Ray, close the flap!" The blacksmith rushed to the passage, climbed the ladder, and shut the attic flap shut. Horrible noises were heard from the roof, and the lumbering bear seemed to bend the ceiling.Roaring, paw kicking, paw scratching, all in chaos! Has this invasion changed the landscape?Is the dilemma more serious?Jasper Hobson discussed this with several companions.If the bears were concentrated in the attic—which seemed likely—it might be possible to strike them in a small space without fear of the cold suffocating the soldiers or losing their grip on their guns.It is true that hand-to-hand combat with these predators is extremely dangerous; but it must be done as a last resort. Now the decision is whether to attack them in the territory they occupy, which is very difficult.It is also extremely dangerous.Because the flap valve is very narrow, the soldiers can only enter the attic one by one. Jasper Hobson was understandably hesitant to start the attack.After careful consideration, the sergeant and others were heard. —their bravery is unquestionable—, he decided to wait.Maybe something unexpected happens that increases the chances of winning?The possibility of a bear moving the ceiling girders is virtually non-existent, and the girders are much stronger than the roof rafters.Therefore, it is impossible for them to come down into the room. People are waiting.The day passed.At night, no one can sleep, these furious guys make a noise, unbearable! The next day, just before 9 o'clock, another accident complicated the situation and forced Lieutenant Hobson to take action. The chimney pipes of stoves and kitchen ranges are known to run from attics.These chimneys were built of lime bricks, not very strong, and it was difficult to withstand the pressure from the side.However, the bears either attacked directly or leaned against the chimney for warmth, and they slowly destroyed the chimney.Bricks were heard falling in, and in a short time the stove and stove were not ventilated. It is an irreparable misfortune, which can despair the less strong-willed.There are more complicated things going on.Indeed, as the flames died down, a choking and sickening black smoke of burning wood and grease filled the whole house.The pipes under the ceiling were also broken.Within minutes, the smoke was so thick that the lights could not be seen.Jasper Hobson then felt that he should leave the house, or he would suffocate in the unbreathable air!But when you leave the house, you will be attacked by the cold again. Several women's screams came out. "Friends," cried the lieutenant, seizing an axe, "hit the bear! hit the bear!" That's the only way it works!These fearsome beasts must be eradicated.All of them, without exception, rushed down the aisle, they rushed up the stairs, Jasper Hobson at the head.The flap flap flew open.There were gunshots, shouts, and roars in the black smoke, and blood spattered.People are fighting in the dark... But at this moment, there was a terrifying bang.The earth shook.The house seemed to be uprooted and crooked.The studs were disengaged, and through these gaps Jasper Hobson and his companions, astonished, saw the bears, as frightened as they were, fleeing howling and fleeing into the darkness.