216 NEW LAND. 



inside, but outside the bags, and had therefore only to lie down on 

 them, each with his pipe. 



We were just going quietly off to sleep when, at about eleven 

 o'clock, we were aroused by the dogs giving tongue. ' Ha, ha ! 

 there's a bear,' we thought, and made for the door. But, look as 

 we would, we could see no disturber of the peace. On the other 

 hand, ' Sergeanten ' and ' Svartflekken ' seemed to have been blown 

 away. What could that mean? We looked and looked in all 

 directions, but could see nothing of either of them. Then I began 

 to call them. It was useless, apparently, but I went on, and 

 really at last they both came running up towards the camp. We 

 felt sure there must be ' something ' near which they had got wind 

 of, since they had broken loose and run away. We tied them both 

 up in their places and crept in again. 



My dogs had such a way of gnawing their traces and harness, 

 that I always had to muzzle them; they were muzzled on this 

 journey too. 



After this we lay talking a while; we could not make out 

 what it was the dogs had winded. Little by little the conversation 

 flagged, and we had just gone to sleep, when an uproar outside 

 brought us to our feet. The dogs yelped and howled as if the end 

 of the world had come. Schei was the first to stumble out 

 through the door, and I was at his heels. Just as I was creeping 

 out I heard him remark, ' What the devil is this ? ' and saw him 

 seize his gun, which was lying ready to hand outside. I was very 

 quickly out, and had hold of my gun. A large pack of wolves 

 were making an end of my team ! 



I had been obliged to tie up my team in two lots on account 

 of the three new dogs, for when the new dogs and the old ones 

 were together, hostilities were kept going the whole night long. 

 As we came out, six or seven wolves were trying to tear one of 

 my old dogs to pieces ; they had broken his rope and dragged him 

 a hundred yards away from the' camp ; five or six more were 

 standing ready to begin on my three new dogs. 



Schei at once opened fire, and I followed his example as soon 

 as possible. The minute the firing began the pack let go the 

 duffer they had under them, and made off; the poor thing was 



