94 



THE LAST CRUISE OE THE MIEANDA. 



teau on the banks of a narrow stream. All around us the 

 great, gaunt mountains arose, and near by a huge glacier 

 coursed downward to the sea. The next morning we were up 

 by five o'clock, and each one took an Eskimo guide, and go- 

 ing his own way, started to hunt the reindeer which are said 

 to inhabit these regions. By nightfall the party were back 

 in camp again, tired, hungry, disappointed; for not a deer 

 had even been seen. We had ascended high mountains and 

 descended into valleys, clambered over rocks and snow, and 

 all sorts of precipitous places, but not even the sight of a 



HUNTING GROUNDS. 



deer had rewarded our efforts. Here and there we found 

 footprints, but this was all. I regret to have to record this 

 fact ; but as a truthful historian I am compelled to admit 

 that, though we wandered over this country for days, we saw 

 no deer at all. Either a bird had carried the news to the deer 

 that we were coming and they had wisely moved inland, or — 



