DOGS SLAUGHTERED 63 



was to kill his own dogs to the number that had been 

 fixed. 



The pemmican was cooked remarkably quickly that 

 evening, and I believe I was unusually industrious in 

 stirring it. There went the first shot — I am not a 

 nervous man, but I must admit that I gave a start. Shot 

 now followed upon shot — they had an uncanny sound 

 over the great plain. A trusty servant lost his life each 

 time. It was long before the first man reported that he 

 had finished; they were all to open their dogs, and take 

 out the entrails to prevent the meat being contaminated. 

 The entrails were for the most part devoured warm on 

 the spot by the victims' comrades, so voracious were 

 they all. Suggen, one of Wisting's dogs, was especially 

 eager for warm entrails; after enjoying this luxury, he 

 could be seen staggering about in a quite misshapen 

 condition. Many of the dogs would not touch them at 

 first, but their appetite came after a while. 



The holiday humour that ought to have prevailed in 

 the tent that evening — our first on the plateau — did not 

 make its appearance; there was depression and sadness 

 in the air — we had grown so fond of our dogs. The 

 place was named the " Butcher's Shop." It had been 

 arranged that we should stop here two days to rest and 

 eat dog. There was more than one among us who at 

 first would not hear of taking any part in this feast ; but 

 as time went by, and appetites became sharper, this 

 view underwent a change, until, during the last few 



