XI.] A FKOZEN DOG. 403 



we asked them how large the packet was. " Very large " was 

 the answer, and the " ram " was of course measured accordingly. 

 But when at last the letter came it was found to be only an 

 exceedingly short note from some of the Russian officials at 

 Kolyma, informing me that our letters had reached him on the 

 "^Fdifsch ^^^ ^^^'^ been immediately sent by express to Yakutsk. 

 Thence they were sent on by post, reaching Irkutsk on the f4th 

 May, and Sweden on the 2nd August. 



During autumn and midwinter the sunshine was not of 

 course strong and continuous enough to be painful to the eyes, 

 but in February the light from the snow-clouds and the snow- 

 drifts began to be troublesome enough. On the 22nd February 

 accordingly snow-spectacles were distributed to all the men, an 

 indispensable precaution, as I have before stated, in Arctic 

 journeys. Many of the Chukches were also attacked with snow- 

 blindness somewhat later in the season, and were very desirous 

 of obtaining from us blue-coloured spectacles. Johnsen even 

 stated that one of the hares he shot was evidently snow-blind. 



On the evening of the 22nd February there burst upon us 

 a storm with drifting snow and a cold of —36°. To be out in 

 such weather is not good even for a Chukch dog. Of this we 

 had confirmation the next day, when a Chukch who had lost his 

 way came on board, carrying a dog, frozen stiff, by the backbone, 

 like a dead hare. He had with his dog gone astray on the ice 

 and lain out, without eating anything, in a snow-drift for the 

 night. The master himself had suffered nothing, he was only 

 hungry, the dog on the other hand scarcely showed any sign of 

 life. Both were naturally treated on board the Vega with great 

 commiseration and kindness. They were taken to the 'tween- 

 decks, where neither Chukches nor Chukch dogs were otherwise 

 admitted ; for the man an abundant meal was served of what we 

 believed he would relish best, and he was then allowed, pro- 

 bably for the first time in his life, to sleep if not under a sooty, 

 at least under a wooden roof. The dog was for hours carefully 

 subjected to massage, with the result that he came to life again, 

 which struck us, and, as it appeared, not least the Chukch 

 himself, as something wonderful. 



In the beginning of March there passed us a large number of 

 sledges laden with reindeer skins, and drawn by eight to ten 

 dogs each. Every sledge had a driver, and as usual the women 

 took no part in the journey. These trains were on a commercial 

 journey from Irkaipij to Pak at Behring's Straits. We found 

 among the foremen many of our acquaintances from the preced- 

 ing autumn, and I need not say that this gave occasion to a 

 special entertainment, for the people, bread, a little spirits, soup, 

 some sugar, and tobacco, for the dogs, pemmican. Conversation 

 during such visits became very lively, and went on with little 



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