* Grizzlies, not polar bears
`Well, my lads,' said I, `if we have failed to catch sight of
serpents, we have at least made good riddance of some other bad
rubbish! These fellows would one day have worked us woe, or I am much
mistaken. What's to be done next?'
`Why, skin them, to be sure,' said Fritz. `We shall have a couple of
splendid bear-skin rugs.'
As this process would take time and evening drew on, we dragged the
huge carcases into their den, to await our return, concealing them with
boughs of trees and fencing the entrance as well as we could. The
ostrich eggs we also left behind us, hidden in a sandy hole.
By sunset we reached the tent, and joyfully rejoined my wife and
Franz, right glad to find a hearty meal prepared for us, as well as a
large heap of brushwood for the watch-fire.
When a full account of our adventures had been given, with a minute and
special description of the bear-fight, my wife related what she had
done during our absence. She and Franz had made their way through the
wood up to the rocks behind it, and discovered a bed of pure white
clay, which it seemed to her might be used for making porcelain. Then
she had contrived a drinking-trough for the cattle out of a split
bamboo.
She had arranged a hearth in a sheltered place by building up large
stones, cemented with the white clay; and, finally, she had cut a
quantity of canes and brought them, on the cart, to be in readiness for
the building we had in hand.
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