Got a Bear: 28th-29th June, 1811

Polar Bears were much prized for their skins, and sometimes, in the case of cubs, as pets, or as zoo animals. With the ship almost full of blubber, the crew of the Resolution could afford to expand their horizons a little, and capture exotic Arctic wildlife to take home. So after a bad day catching whales–one harpooner missed, another whale escaped with 10 lines–they caught a bear.

The following day, the 29th, they observed many narwals, but there was work to be done, making off 4 tons of blubber. Again Scoreby records the draught of the ship as “Forward 14ft 5in aft 14ft 9in (New Marks)”. Again the ice gathered.