thick layer of fat attached to them. The fat was very valuable as 
     
     well as the skins. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The men were making money faster than they could digging 
     
     gold. They were so eager at their work that they did not notice that 
     
     the wind had changed and was blowing the ice away from the shore. 
     
     Before they were aware the ice had moved off so far that there was a 
     
     wide stretch of water between it andthe land. What was still more 
     
     alarming the ice was beginning to break up, and night was near. The 
     
     men could not do anything to save themselves. For miles along the 
     
     shore there were wild scenes and in the homes great distress and 
     
     alarm. There was someone out on the ice from nearly every home. 
     
     Unless the men could be rescued speedily they would be carried away 
     
     to certain death. The fishing boats were under the snow, or in barns 
     
     a long distance from the shore. Only a few men were on shore to get 
     
     them out and man them. The women and boys helped and by fran- 
     
     tic efforts they soon had them launched and‘off in a mad race to the 
     
     rescue. By this time the ice was a long distance away. It was criti- 
     
     cal work, getting the men off the ice into the boats. Some were found 
     
     in great peril and almost exhausted. One man was found on a cake 
     
     of ice that had broken in two. one half of it could not carry his 
     
     weight; he was on his stomach holding the outer edge of one piece 
     
     with his hands and the outer edge of the other with his toes; in this 
     
     way he kept the two pieces together and they held him from sinking. 
     
     He could not hold out long in that position with the ice-cold water 
     
     washing over him. After a hard struggle all were rescued. My broth- 
     
     er was out but he got ashore before the ice moved off. There were 
     
     many fervent thanksgivings in the homes that night. The pelts were 
     
     left in piles on the ice; they could be seen for days floating about as 
     
     the wind and tide carried the ice. A Dutch sealing vessel came along 
     
     and appropriated some of them. Venturesome fishermen went out in 
     
     boats and brought some ashore. They were very careful after that 
     
     experience, about hunting seals. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Bears and Bear H unts. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The early settlers frequently suffered annoyance and loss from 
     
     the depredations of bears. One family having secured some fresh 
     
    
   
   
    
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