140 THE RETURN TO FRAMHEIM 



But, like others of the same character, he could not keep 

 it going any longer; he collapsed, was killed and eaten. 



Christmas Eve was rapidly approaching. For us it 

 could not be particularly festive, but we should have to 

 try to make as much of it as circumstances would 

 permit. We ought, therefore, to reach our depot that 

 evening, so as to keep Christmas with a dish of porridge. 

 The night before Christmas Eve we slaughtered Svart- 

 flekken. There was no mourning on this occasion: 

 Svartflekken was one of Hassel's dogs, and had always 

 been a reprobate. I find the following in my diary, 

 written the same evening: " Slaughtered Svartflekken 

 this evening. He would not do any more, although 

 there was not much wrong with his looks. Bad 

 character. If a man, he would have ended in penal 

 servitude." He was comparatively fat, and was con- 

 sumed with evident satisfaction. 



Christmas Eve came ; the weather was rather change- 

 able — now overcast, now clear — when we set out at 

 8 p.m. the night before. We had not far to go before 

 reaching our depot. At 12 midnight we arrived there 

 in the most glorious weather, cahn and warm. Now 

 we had the whole of Christmas Eve before us, and could 

 enjoy it at our ease. Our depot was at once taken 

 down and divided between the two sledges. All 

 crumbs of biscuit were carefully collected by Wisting, 

 the cook for the day, and put into a bag. This w^as 

 taken into the tent and vigorously beaten and kneaded ; 



