But he shook his head still more decidedly, and turned away as if to put a stop to further bantering on the subject.

We were at a loss to know whether it was a souvenir,--the image of some dead child, or an object of religious reverence.

Finally the captain pointed across the ice-field, where the bear was sitting crouched on the margin of it, and said, "_Nen-ook_." At that they all looked, and, espying him, gave vent to a series of cries and shouts.

Six of them immediately dropped into their _kayaks_ and set off after him.

Reaching the ice, they landed, and pulled the canoes on to it.