418 



THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



prepared supper, which consisted of boiled seal's flesh. 

 After the meal was partaken of, our host divested himself 

 of all his clothing, the trousers excepted. Our hostess let 

 her pesk fall down from the shoulders, so that the whole 

 upper part of her body became bare, and as they appeared to 

 be sleepy, we retired to the other tent, where it was any- 

 thing but warm. 



l 1 



THE STAROST OP THE REINDEER CHUKCHES. 



" Next morning when we came out of the tent, we saw all 

 the reindeer advancing in a compact troop. At the head 

 was an old reindeer with large horns, that went forward to 

 his master, who had in the meantime gone to meet the herd, 

 and bade him good-morning by gently rubbing his nose 

 against his master's hands. While this was going on the 

 other reindeer stood drawn up in well-ordered ranks, like the 

 crew in divisions on board a man-of-war. The owner then 

 went forward and saluted every reindeer ; they were allowed 

 to stroke his hands with their noses. He on his part took 

 every reindeer by the horn and examined it in the most 



