1902] 'SHORT COMMONS' 287 



was found to tell the tale of these ravages. In each case the 

 wretched seal had been literally worried to death ; there were no 

 wounds on the body worth mentioning — in fact, the hide is far 

 too thick and tough for a dog's teeth to penetrate. The fiends 

 must have danced round their unfortunate victim, rushing in 

 and snapping at him from every side and giving him not an 

 instant's peace until life was extinct. The tormentors did not 

 attempt, and in fact it is doubtful if they would have been 

 able, to feed off their victim. Soon after he ceased to show 

 sport they must have quietly trotted away in search of fresh 

 excitement. The fact that they cannot get food in this 

 manner is a distinct advantage, as it means that they are 

 forced eventually to come back to the ship.' 



Later on a rather curious incident occurred in this connec- 

 tion. A few days before the dog team was required for a sledge 

 trip to the south, the masters of two dogs — ' Birdie,' a powerful, 

 timid, nervous beast, and ' Snatcher,' a lighter-built animal — 

 took them for a walk on leash, and after a time somewhat 

 stupidly let them run with their chains, thinking that thus 

 handicapped they could be caught again without difficulty; 

 but the animals, rejoicing in their freedom, soon disap- 

 peared from sight. Days went by and there was no sign of 

 them, and finally, much to my annoyance, I had to start with- 

 out them. On my return a fortnight later, I learnt that after 

 along absence 'Snatcher' had suddenly appeared, very worn 

 out, thin, and hungry ; and guessing seals were at the bottom 

 of the trouble, a search party had gone some way along the 

 coast to the north and eventually discovered ' Birdie ' in a 

 starving condition and pinned close down to the snow by his 

 chain, which was solidly frozen beneath the body of a huge 

 dead seal. The dogs must have worried the seal to death, and 

 in the scrimmage the latter must have rolled over ' Birdie's ' 

 chain, holding him a fast prisoner • but it is curious that he 

 lay there and starved within reach of plenty, and one wonders 

 also how long the other animal voluntarily submitted to 

 starvation rather than desert his companion. One never quite 

 learns what are the rights of a story like this in real life. 



