SHERARD OSBORNE FJORD 



as it could manage of delicious musk-ox meat. But then it had 

 to turn hack once more through the trackless country. It was 

 a mute but willing worker in the service of exploration. Always 

 industrious, it dragged to and fro with its stumpy tail straight 

 up in the air ; but just as I was ready to set across to our meat 

 store, illness claimed it — a sacrifice for the benefit of its mates. 

 Therefore let the old dog take these memorial words with 

 it in its painless death. A Winchester bullet pierced its temple. 

 I have just flayed it, and yet, whilst I am scribbling this in my 

 diary, the strong, sickening smell of its blood clings to my 

 fingers. 



As shortly afterwards I go out to feed the dogs, I find that 

 old Miteq had no significance at all as food ; there was no flesh 

 on it — it consisted of skin and bones only. We therefore had 

 to kill another two dogs — altogether five carcases — to feed the 

 rest ; for on all the slaughtered animals there was scarcely any 

 nourishment. 



It is a disgusting work, fit only for an executioner's assistant, 

 to flense these animals, and that not least because they were 

 good dogs which should have worked for us yet awhile if only 

 we had been able to get on quicker to better hunting-grounds. 



On the evening of the 26th, Koch's condition seems so much 

 better that we dare to cross the fjord. We make ready to 

 break camp, and a new report is deposited in Beaumont's beacon. 



We have to give up the idea of letting Koch drive his own 

 sledge, as I fear he has not the strength to do this ; it is hard 

 and laborious work to drive the dogs forward, and the cannibal 

 food which we offer them agrees so badly with them that they 

 often vomit. Ajako and I therefore share the rest of Koch's 

 team between us. 



The dogs are so exhausted that we can hardly hope to be able 

 to ride on the sledges, wherefore Koch sets out a few hours 

 before the rest so as to get somewhat ahead of us. When later 

 on Ajako and I set off with our melancholy animals, we leave 

 this headland, which now stinks with the gnawed bones of dogs, 

 with a sigh of relief. 



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