One of my acquaintances had a narrow escape from death on the ice during an expedition toward Kotelnoi Island, and the chain lying to the east of it, generally known as New Siberia.  It was early in the spring—­somewhat later than the time of the ordinary winter journeys—­that he set out from the mouth of the Lena, hoping to reach Kotelnoi Island, and return before the weather became warm.  He had four dog teams, and was accompanied by a Russian servant and two Yakut natives, whom he engaged for a voyage down the Lena, and the expedition across the ice.  It was known that a quantity of ivory had been gathered on the island, and was waiting for transportation to the Lena; to get this ivory was the object of the journey.  I will tell the story in the words of the narrator, or as nearly as I can do so from recollection.

“We reached the island without serious trouble; the weather was clear and cold, and the traveling quite as good as we expected.  Where the ice was level we got along very well, though there were now and then deep fissures caused by the frost, and which we had some difficulty in crossing.  Frequently we were obliged to detach the dogs from the sleds and compel them to jump singly across the fissures.  The sledges were then drawn over by hand, and once on the other side the teams were re-harnessed, and proceeded on their way.  The ice was seven or eight feet thick, and some of the fissures were a yard wide at the surface, and tapered to a wedge shape at the bottom.  It was not absolutely dangerous, though very inconvenient to fall into one of the crevices, and our dogs were very careful to secure a good foothold on the edges where they jumped.

[Illustration:  DOGS AMONG ICE.]

“The second day out we got among a great many hummocks, or detached pieces of bergs, that caused us much trouble.  They were so numerous that we were often shut out from the horizon, and were guided solely by the compass.  Frequently we found them so thick that it was impossible to break a road through them, and after working for an hour or two, we would be compelled to retrace our steps, and endeavor to find a new route.  Where they formed in ridges, and were not too high, we broke them down with our ice-hatchets; the work was very exhausting to us, and so was the task of drawing the sledges to the poor dogs.

“Just as we left the level ice, and came among these hummocks, the dogs came on the fresh track of a polar bear, and at once started to follow him.  My team was ahead, and the dogs set out in full chase, too rapidly for me to stop them, though I made every effort to do so.  The other teams followed close upon us, and very soon my sledge overturned, and the dogs became greatly mixed up.  The team of Nicolai, my servant, was likewise upset close to mine, and we had much trouble to get them right again.  Ivan and Paul, the two Yakuts, came up and assisted us.  Their dogs following on our track had not caught the scent of the bear so readily as ours, and consequently were more easily brought to a stop.