HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS. 75 



I returned from my climb while the three others were up 

 fetching the last of the meat. By ten in the forenoon all the 

 carcases had been brought down to the tent, and the skinning 

 was begun on. At midday all was done so expeditious a busi- 

 ness is it when in experienced hands. Each carcase was then split 

 in two, and the whole supply laid out to freeze. The larger the 

 pieces the less the risk of losing them on the way, was a conclusion 

 we had come to from several dearly-bought experiences in that line. 



The bear was also fetched to camp, and the blubber cut away 

 from the skin. We then rested for the remainder of the day, and 

 let the dogs eat their fill of bear-blubber and other delicacies. 



Peder asked me if he might remain behind as watch after we 

 left the following day, and when I consented to this his good- 

 humoured face beamed with delight. He meant to shoot any 

 amount of game while we were gone reindeer, polar oxen, wolves. 

 Of course bears too, but he was not so keen about bears, they were 

 old friends of his. No, what he particularly wanted was wolves ! 



The three of us started south on the Monday morning, taking 

 with us enormous loads of meat. We struck into and followed 

 our old track, while I took advantage of every halt to go a little 

 way up on land and scan the country for game. We required more 

 killing-cattle. 



Later on in the day, before starting to drive across a largish 

 river, I made my usual excursion, this time along the banks by 

 the side of it, and began to use my glasses. To my surprise I 

 actually saw a herd of animals on some level ground a long way 

 off, though owing to the mist I could barely distinguish them from 

 their surroundings. I told my companions what I had seen, and 

 we decided to drive up the river and attack from there. 



It was not many minutes before my team got wind of the 

 animals, and began to pull like mad. The river was by no means 

 narrow, and was flanked by sand-hills on both sides. Half a 

 mile farther up it we came to a large open channel in the middle 

 of the river, and had then to take to the very thin ice between 

 the channel and the bank, but we had not gone far before this too 

 became so weak that we had to drive up on to the banks for fear 

 of an accident. 



