772 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



ing opposite to a possible settlement. Our provisions 

 would consist of poor Snoozer. 



Nindemann and Alexey crawled around to leeward 

 of the herd, until they went as far back nearly as our 

 ferry of yesterday. Here they got within one hun- 

 dred yards and fired, Nindemann's Winchester failing 

 to explode, but Alexey's Remington killing a fine buck, 

 — as much as five men could drag in. At 10.30 

 fourteen hungry men commenced eating fried deer 

 meat, and I must admit we ate three pounds apiece 

 before we were satisfied. Then I called a halt in eat- 

 ing, and weighed what remained. We found ninety- 

 eight pounds clear meat, free from bone, nineteen 

 pounds neck (for soup), and enough meat on the ribs to 

 make two meals alone. Besides this, there were the 

 soup bones, heart, liver, brains, and tongue, — in fine, 

 I think three days' rations, allowing one pound each for 

 a meal. If ever Divine Providence was manifested in 

 behalf of needy and exposed people, we are an instance 

 of it. All that I need to make my present anxiety nil 

 is some tidings of the other two boats and their occu- 

 pants. 



The ulcer in Ericksen's foot has sloughed away so 

 much of the skin as to expose the sinews and muscles. 

 The doctor fears that he may have to amputate one 

 half, if not the whole, of both feet. 



At 12.30 went ahead filled and comfortable, each of 

 us, except Ericksen, shouldering about fifteen pounds 

 of meat, in addition to his ordinary load. The doctor 

 and myself had each a set of ribs on our backs, and as 

 we trudged along all of us presented a queer spectacle, 

 somewhat of a nature to surprise our friends could they 

 see us. By four p. m. w r e had advanced about three and 

 one half miles direct, but, by cutting across an angle we 



