478 THE GEKMAN AECTIC EXPEDITION. 



it ran off. Another time a number of tliem came close 

 to the tent. But a scene took place, which many of our 

 hunting friends would envy us, in a herd near Cape 

 Bennet, in August, 1870. We had just left our boat, 

 which we were going to load with seven carcasses which 

 we had killed some days before and left behind; but 

 unfortunately they had ail turned bad, as we had 

 neglected to open them. Suddenly there came from 

 twenty to thirty head over the mountain-slope, and upon 

 reaching a snow-field all lay down, enticed by the 

 refreshing coolness and our own example, as we had just 

 done the same thing. As, however, we started to con- 

 tinue our journey, the front guard of the reindeer rose 

 to do the same ; but it happened that one of them — ■ 

 evidently the leader — seemed displeased that the greater 

 number took no notice of the movement, as they desired 

 to have a little more rest ; so it stopped the others, turned 

 back, and went to each animal separately, pushing it 

 with its horns, until they all stood up and began their 

 march together to a new grazing-place. The flesh of the 

 reindeer is good, though somewhat soft and spongy. 



It is plain that these creatures were very useful to us, 

 and that without them we should often have been in a 

 sad predicament. Unfortunately, our furthest and most 

 productive hunt took place shortly before we left Green- 

 land, and over against the island Jan-Mayen. We had 

 to throw more than a thousand pounds of reindeer and 

 musk-oxen flesh overboard, as the rising of the tem- 

 perature beyond the pack-ice, together with the damp, 

 turned it all bad. 



If any creature deserves the name of monster, it is the 

 walrus. It is from 9 feet G inches to 16 feet G inches long, 



