26 NEW LAND. 



its body, and the skin was so poor that it was useless ; but a 

 reindeer is always a reindeer, and I can quite understand that its 

 pursuers were glad to have had the chance of shooting it. 



When the animal was skinned they took the meat on their 

 backs and started down to camp. They were heavy burdens 

 they bore on their way back, and in addition they had some 

 plants as well. As they were trudging down the valley they 

 saw an animal running up it on the other side of the river. It 

 was some distance away, and it was impossible to say for certain 

 what kind of animal it was. They first guessed it to be a polar 

 calf, though they did not think the animal was quite the right 

 shape, nor was it likely that such a little thing would be running 

 about the country on its own account, without any of the full- 

 grown animals. 



What it was must for ever remain a mystery. They also 

 guessed it to be a glutton, and perhaps it was one. It is true 

 that all the years we were in these regions we never saw a trace 

 of this greedy and bloodthirsty beast of prey ; but that is no 

 reason why there should not have been a single glutton about on a 

 summer trip northward. It is a known fact that it is found in the 

 more southern tracts, and where the reindeer is the glutton is 

 usually not far off. 



The botanist reaped but a meagre harvest on this trip; but 

 it was early in the spring, and there were not many species from 

 which to cull, so that not much could be expected. It was also 

 difficult to get about on account of the spring floods. The 

 rivers and streams were much swollen and often impeded their 

 movements. It would have been far better in this respect later in 

 the summer, but then again the ice would have been so weak that 

 any attempt to drive up the fjords would have been an utter 

 impossibility. After staying in there a couple of days they drove 

 east again. They had rather bad weather for several days, and in 

 many places the ice was almost impracticable. Outside the large 

 sandbank was nothing but open water, and they were obliged to 

 drive on the ice-foot. 



On their way back they made acquaintance with a harbour seal 

 of most curious temperament. It was lying on the ice, and though 



