i 9 o2] DOG TROUBLES 189 



wire hawsers attached to them ready to haul the stern round 

 when the wind permitted it. In the meantime we could only 

 get to the shore by means of boats, and when the wind grew 

 very strong our communication was interrupted altogether, 

 since under such circumstances we scarcely liked to send a 

 boat away, for fear it should be carried out to sea by some 

 more than usually fierce gust. 



It was for this reason that we were impotent to prevent the 

 murder of two of our dog team, though we actually witnessed 

 it, and bitterly regretted the incautious but kindly policy which 

 had allowed these animals to run free, when they should have 

 been chained up. 



Here, again, we erred from want of experience. The dogs 

 had been particularly quiet of late ; each had his own kennel, 

 and his own bountiful supply of food ; they had been given 

 plenty of exercise and were allowed to run about at their own 

 sweet will ; there seemed to be absolutely nothing that they 

 could quarrel about, and for days they had lulled us into false 

 security by appearing to be quite contented and to be living 

 on the most amicable terms. But alas for dog morals ! As 

 we well understood when we knew them better, they were only 

 biding their time. Some of their number had been away 

 sledging; why should they have been chosen? What treats 

 and petting had they been receiving from the hands of man 

 that by right belonged to the whole community? 



They were objects of suspicion. Nothing they could do 

 was quite right ; it was no use their wagging their tails and 

 pretending to be friendly when they had played a low-down 

 game like that ! it was all mere impertinent deception ! One 

 can only suppose that such thoughts pass through the doggish 

 mind, because the result is always the same. Let a dog be 

 unduly petted or receive more than his share of food, or be 

 taken away sledging : he inevitably becomes an object of 

 suspicion to the rest. The first growl, the first step beyond 

 the rigid limits of propriety, and not one, but the whole pack 

 are upon him, and even the thickest coat is a poor protection 

 against those bloodthirsty fangs. Of course there are excep- 



