Report of the First Thule Expedition 1912. 



329 



cier, ready for the final start. We built our last cairn here, and de- 

 posited a report as to the progress of the expedition. I quote the fol- 

 lowing extract: 



"We have killed 30 head of musk ox in this country, all in one 

 and the same valley, as food for the dogs and provision for the jour- 

 ney. At least as many more were seen. 



The expedition starts today for home, by way of North Star Bay 

 and across the inland ice. We have 27 dogs in excellent condition, and 

 3 sledges". 



The hospitable country seemed anxious to oblige us to the very 

 last; even from our camp on the 

 edge of the inland ice we could see 

 6 — 7 big bulls moving about on the 

 moist carpet of vegetation. We had 

 thus no difficulty in obtaining fresh 

 meat both for ourselves and the dogs 

 before starting, and at this time, about 

 the middle of August, the game are at 

 their best, the flesh being found entirely 

 covered with suet when flayed. W^e 

 had therefore each of us a private stock 

 of suet, some 50 pounds per man, by 

 way of dessert while on the inland ice, 

 a delicacy which was very highly 

 appreciated. 



We killed yet one more bull as 

 a farewell feast for the dogs before 

 starting out to tackle the inland ice. 

 Our hunting was now at an end for 

 the time being, but we had already 

 had a fairly long spell of it, having 



been out after game almost without intermission ever since the lOtli 

 of May, and hard at it all the time. 



There is one thing which I cannot refrain from mentioning here, 

 as it proved of great service to us when out hunting, and on our con- 

 tinual excursions among the hills, and that is the Eskimo trick of 

 using "Alamaks" to lengthen the life of footgear. When we had shot 

 a musk ox, we cut out from the thickest part of the hide a strip some- 

 what larger than an ordinary sole, pierced holes all round the edge, 

 and fastened the raw, soft skin over our boots. The advantage of this 

 is twofold. In the first place it saved wearing out our soles and pro- 

 tected the boots all round. One pair of alamaks does not, it is true, 

 last very many days on sharp stones, but all that need then be done 

 is to make new ones. And in the second place, this rough ground is 

 very apt to make the feet sore, which is largely avoided by the pro- 



Alamak, schematised. 



