240 DEPOT JOURNEYS 



strongest, but his dogs had got very thin; however, 

 they did their work well. Wisting's sledge had also 

 been overloaded; it was even heavier than mine. 

 Johansen's animals had originally been regarded as 

 the weakest, but they proved themselves very tough 

 in the long-run. They were no racers, but always 

 managed to scramble along somehow. Their motto 

 was : ' If we don't get there to-day, we'll get there 

 to-morrow." They all came home. 



Our original idea was that the homeward journey 

 should be a sort of pleasure trip, that we should sit on 

 the sledges and take it easy; but in the circumstances 

 this was not to be thought of. The dogs had quite 

 enough to do with the empty sledges. The same day 

 we reached the place where we had left a case of dogs' 

 pemmican, and camped there, having done twenty-nine 

 and three-quarter miles. The weather was cold and 

 raw; temperature, - 25'6 F. This weather took the 

 last remnant of strength out of my dogs ; instead of rest- 

 ing at night, they lay huddled together and freezing. It 

 was pitiful to see them. In the morning they had to 

 be lifted up and put on their feet ; they had not strength 

 enough to raise themselves. When they had staggered 

 on a little way and got some warmth into their bodies, 

 they seemed to be rather better at any rate, they could 

 keep up with us. The following day we did twenty- 

 four and three-quarter miles; temperature, -32'8 F. 



On the 12th we passed the depot in 81 S. The big 



