TRAPPERS ?39 



Norway, and seal fat. In passing, it is curious 

 to observe that these men who had wintered 

 farther north than Jan Mayen Island had known 

 no sickness. I am convinced this is due to the 

 fact that they had found it possible to obtain 

 fresh meat throughout the winter. The real 

 cause of scurvy is still a mystery, but there is 

 not the least doubt that it arises from an intes- 

 tinal disorder which it is impossible to combat 

 in the absence of fresh vegetables or fresh meat. 

 I have always made it compulsory on board 

 my ship when nothing else was obtainable, that 

 seal flesh should be served, and I have always 

 set the men an example by partaking of it 

 daily. I have been compelled to do this 

 because Norwegians regard this meat with 

 intense disfavour. 



Personally, I have always found the flesh 

 of both the seal and walrus to be extremely 

 palatable, the latter resembling beef. Bear 

 flesh, except that of the young animal, which 

 is excellent, is not so good, but with the 

 exception of the liver, which is dangerous, it 

 is healthy. As regards guillemots, cooked after 

 the Norwegian fashion, they are very good 

 indeed. One of my sailors, named Julius, was 

 a past master in the confection of this dish, 

 which Brillat-Savarin himself would not have 



