252 DEPOT JOURNEYS 



much. This covering with snow has a great deal to do 

 with keeping the hut snug and warm. Our dogs 107 

 in number mostly look like pigs getting ready for 

 Christmas; even the famished ones that made the last 

 trip are beginning to recover. It is an extraordinary 

 thing how quickly such an animal can put on flesh. 



It was interesting to watch the home-coming of the 

 dogs from the last trip. They showed no sign of sur- 

 prise when we came into camp; they might have been 

 there all the time. It is true they were rather more 

 hungry than the rest. The meeting between Lassesenand 

 Fix was comic. These two were inseparable friends ; the 

 first-named was boss, and the other obeyed him blindly. 

 On this last trip I had left Fix at home, as he did not 

 give me the impression of being quite up to the work; 

 he had therefore put on a lot of flesh, big eater as he was. 

 I stood and watched their meeting with intense curiosity. 

 Would not Fix take advantage of the occasion to assume 

 the position of boss? In such a mass of dogs it took 

 some little time before they came across each other. 

 Then it was quite touching. Fix ran straight up to the 

 other, began to lick him, and showed every sign of the 

 greatest affection and joy at seeing him again. Lassesen, 

 on his part, took it all with a very superior air, as befits a 

 boss. Without further ceremony, he rolled his fat friend 

 in the snow and stood over him for a while no doubt 

 to let him know that he was still absolute master, beyond 

 dispute. Poor Fix! he looked quite crestfallen. But 



