PER BREAKS DOWN 139 



plished, and we could once more put up our tent, cook 

 our food, and seek our rest. But this rest soon became 

 so insufferably long. And then there was the fearful 

 heat — considering the circumstances — which often made 

 us get out of our sleeping-bags and lie with nothing 

 over us. These rests of twelve, fourteen, sometimes 

 as much as sixteen hours, were what most tried our 

 patience during the early part of the return journey. 

 We could see so well that all this rest was unnecessary, 

 but still we kept it up as long as we were on the high 

 ground. Our conversation at this time used to turn 

 very often on the best way of filKng up these long, 

 unnecessary waits. 



That day — December 20 — Per — good, faithful, con- 

 scientious Per — broke down utterly and had to be taken 

 on the sledge the last part of the way. On arrival at 

 the camping-ground he had his reward. A httle blow 

 of the back of the axe was enough for him; without 

 making a sound the worn-out animal collapsed. In 

 liim Wisting lost one of his best dogs. He was a 

 curious animal — always went about quietly and peace- 

 ably, and never took part in the others' battles; from 

 his looks and behaviour one would have judged him, 

 quite mistakenly, to be a queer sort of beast who was 

 good for nothing. But when he was in harness he 

 showed what he could do. Without needing any 

 shouts or cuts of the whip, he put himself into it from 

 morning to night, and was priceless as a draught dog. 



