THE GOOSING 241 



yesterday. To-day Marrk good. Ahnglia five little 

 geese. Little black goose very good. Yes, yes.' 



His relief at getting this over was so great that before 

 I could thank him fairly he had wheeled about and was 

 on his sleigh. ' Now, all ready,' he shouted and started 

 off. But the girls hallooed at him to 'stop.' It was 

 anything but ready, for the geese were not covered 

 up. So he came back looking very sheepish, among 

 general laughter and jeers. I always fancied poor old 

 Marrk was just a little bit touched in the head. 



The Samoyeds distinguish the brent [wurrah in 

 their tongue) as the 'little goose,' and the 'little black 



goose. 



July 20th. — After our return last night I improved my 

 boat quarters very much by filling" in the chinks with 

 moss, so that neither the wind nor the prowling dogs 

 could find an entry except by the front. 



The heat to-day was really considerable, and the 

 musquitoes and reindeer- fly very trying. I felt that I 

 had regained the confidence I lost yesterday over the 

 cap incident. I am sure I deserved it ; for I worked like 

 a slave at reindeer-catching and various forms of labour. 



The reindeer when attacked by the fly behave very 

 differently from cattle. Ordinarily, as I have said, they 

 are scattered feeding all about, but now they draw up 

 together to the accustomed place where the bucks are 

 harnessed and picketed. The only explanation of this 



Q 



