He had just finished examining Cape Flora and was thinking of turning eastwards, in the hope that he might pick up some traces of the lost _Jeannette_, when a calamity took place which completely upset all his plans. For one fine Sunday morning, when the weather was beautifully calm, and there seemed to be nothing to fear, the pack-ice suddenly came down with the tide, and the _Eira_ was caught between it and the land floe. She was protected by a grounded berg, and for a while no injury was done to her. Then, without any warning, the berg gave way, the _Eira_ heeled over, and the water came pouring into her hold, probably through a hole made by a tongue of ice. The pumps were tried, but without much effect, so all hands were set to work, passing provisions and anything else that they could save out on to the ice. Within two hours she was at the bottom, in eleven fathoms of water. There was now nothing for the men to do but to make the best of a bad business, and to set about preparations for the winter. Fortunately the land abounds with bears and walruses, and thanks to the united efforts of the crew and of Bob, their retriever, the larder was soon filled with a sufficient store of meat to last them comfortably till the spring. Bob seems to have been a veritable Nimrod among dogs, and to have combined an enthusiasm for hunting with an unusual degree of sagacity. On one occasion, while out for a constitutional by himself, he came upon a herd of seahorses, and succeeded in conveying the intelligence to his human friends, to the great benefit of the larder. On another occasion, he decoyed a bear right up to the door of the hut, where it was promptly shot, while he once nearly died a sportsman’s death in the embrace of a moribund bear, which, in his zeal, he had approached rather too closely. All the boats had fortunately been saved, and the winter was spent in making preparations for a voyage to Nova Zembla, where, it was hoped, succour would be found. This hope was amply fulfilled, for, on reaching their goal after six weeks of very hard work, they fell in with the Dutch exploring steamer, the _Willem Barents_, and later on with the _Hope_, which had been sent out to their relief by the British Government, and by which they were conveyed home none the worse for their experiences. Leigh Smith’s voyages were valuable not only scientifically but also commercially, for he showed that walruses abound in those seas, a piece of knowledge of which hunters have availed themselves to the full. CHAPTER XXVIII GREENLAND AND THE EARLIER JOURNEYS OF NANSEN AND PEARY