REINDEER 121 



was a male of two or three years, the other a 

 female. The day had indeed commenced well ! 



The men cleaned the animals well, washing 

 the interior with snow, and using some shed 

 antlers, of which there was quite a quantity 

 in the valley, to keep the sides apart. 



As we were already far from the ship, and it 

 was necessary to send two sailors back with the 

 carcasses, I decided to lunch first in a well- 

 sheltered and sunny spot on the bank of a 

 stream of excellent water. I quickly heated 

 the conserves and two bowls of excellent beef. 

 As we had, besides, warm coffee and rum in our 

 bottles, we lunched splendidly. After a pipe, 

 I sent the two men back to the ship with the 

 reindeer, and pushed my way up the valley. 



We discovered plenty of fresh tracks in a 

 narrow gulley, but after having covered several 

 miles we arrived in sight of the suspended 

 glacier without having encountered any living 

 thing. Other hunters must have been before us, 

 for we found recent traces of shot deer. We 

 agreed that it was useless to go farther. We 

 re-entered the principal valley after crossing a 

 deep and rapid stream and clambering over 

 boulders. Almost at once we found on the 

 slopes new traces of two deer, a female and a 

 fawn. 



