354 GREELY'S ARCTIC WINTER OF STARVATION 



of the dogs, as well as provisions, a hunting party went out to shoot 

 them. But the wolves were too cunning, keeping out of range until 

 the men were tired out. They were frequently fired at, but none 

 fell, although this might not have been due to bad marksmanship. 

 The Arctic wolves, as was discovered later, are perhaps the most 

 tenacious of life of any of the northern animals. 



One was seen, a day or so later, within a hundred yards of the 

 house. It was immediately fired at, and rolled over with a bullet 

 through the body ; but before the marksman could get over to where 

 it lay, the apparently dead creature scrambled to its feet and made 

 off, bleeding profusely. The trail left by the blood was distinctly 

 visible on the snow, although the wolf itself, being covered with 

 pure white fur, was quite invisible. For over an hour the trail was 

 followed, and when at last the dead body was found, it lay prac- 

 tically bloodless, having struggled on while there was a drop of 

 blood in its veins. 



In view of the difficulty of shooting them, the men resolved to 

 poison them. But here, again, the wolves were not to be caught. 

 The first time that poisoned meat was put out it was left untouched. 

 Some good meat was added, and at once disappeared, though the 

 pieces containing poison were still left alone. The poisoned baits 

 were then taken up, and only good meat put down, the wolves always 

 taking it until, their confidence being gained, a few poisoned baits 

 were mixed with the others. The experiment succeeded so well that 

 when the baits were next visited four wolves and one fox were 

 found dead. The others, evidently alarmed, made off and did not 

 again return. 



Winter passed away in the drear and monotonous way that 

 winter in the Arctic does and with the coming of spring the work 

 of exploration began. The growing power of the sun as the months 

 passed on is described in striking terms in the records of the expedi- 

 tion. An exploring party led by Greely himself found decidedly 

 wintry conditions late in April. A large river was reached covered 



