102 ON THE WAY TO THE SOUTH 



tion of dog-keeper in Hassel's place. He and Lindstrom 

 stayed close to the island where the dogs were. Wisting 

 had a way of his own with his four-footed subjects, and 

 was soon on a confidential footing with them. He also 

 showed himself to be possessed of considerable veterinary 

 skill an exceedingly useful qualification in this case, 

 where there was often some injury or other to be 

 attended to. As I have already mentioned, up to this 

 time no member of the expedition, except Lieutenant 

 Nilsen, knew anything of the extension of plan that had 

 been made. Therefore, amongst the things that came 

 on board, and amongst the preparations that were made 

 during our stay at Christiansand, there must have been 

 a great deal that appeared very strange to those who, for 

 the present, were only looking forward to a voyage 

 round Cape Horn to San Francisco. What was the 

 object of taking all these dogs on board and transportin 

 them all that long way? And if it came to that, would 

 any of them survive the voyage round the formidable 

 promontory? Besides, were there not dogs enough, and 

 good dogs too, in Alaska? Why was the whole after- 

 deck full of coal? What was the use of all these planks 

 and boards? Would it not have been much more con- 

 venient to take all that kind of goods on board in 'Frisco? 

 These and many similar questions began to pass from 

 man to man ; indeed, their very faces began to resemble 

 notes of interrogation. Not that anyone asked me far 

 from it; it was the second in command who had to bear 



