ACROSS ELLESMERE LAND. 129 



but they had never yet had to do with the worst among beasts of 

 prey man. I am glad I was not the shooter on this occasion, 

 and that Bay so willingly undertook the deed of slaughter, as I 

 should not like to shoot down peaceable animals which defend 

 themselves in such a marvellous manner. It is not sport : it is 

 simply butchery ; it requires little skill, and causes one no excite- 

 ment. Anybody can set a team of dogs on the trail and then 

 quietly follow them with his gun, walk up to the animals, and 

 shoot down the whole herd. . . .' But what was to be done ? 

 Meat we must have, and necessity knows no laws. 



Meanwhile there was no time for reflections. The animals 

 had to be skinned, and before we could begin on the work we 

 were obliged to go down to the loads to fetch our flaying-knives ; 

 and this took time. We pitched the tent as quickly as we could, 

 swallowed some coffee and biscuit and butter, and started up again. 

 I had helped to spoil Bay's knife, and now had to pay for it by 

 skinning all four animals alone in the biting wind up on the hill- 

 side. It was anything but a warm job, and, before I had done, 

 several of my fingers were frost-bitten. 



When all was finished we laid part of the meat up on a big 

 rock where the dogs could not reach it ; this was to be our depot 

 till we returned from the west. We let the dogs remain up there 

 to eat their fill of the meat, and when they had had as much as 

 they wanted, we cut it up into small strips and stuffed it down 

 their throats until they could swallow no more. We came to the 

 conclusion that a dog's stomach must be a very elastic thing ; but 

 also that it must be an eminently comfortable arrangement to have 

 something in reserve, since it is impossible to know when the next 

 opportunity for a meal may occur. 



Laden with good meat, hearts, and marrow-bones, and each 

 with a skin, which we looked forward to laying on the tent-floor, 

 we made our way down to the camp, hungry and tired, after a 

 working-day of twenty-eight hours. 



After dinner I fell into a doze, while the coffee was clearing, and 



then, just after Bay had wakened me, saw through a little opening 



in the canvas a herd of polar oxen, which were coming grazing 



down towards the door. There may have been twenty or so of 



VOL. i. K 



