236 MY ARCTIC JOURNAL 



SO dressed that he could at a moment's notice jump from his 

 shelter and capture a loose dog. The dogs were always fast- 

 ened directly in front of the opening of the kitchen, so that 

 the occupant, by raising his head, could see at once if his pres- 

 ence were needed. During the first portion of our journey 

 this duty was an onerous one, and frequently meant a sleep- 

 less night ; but later on, after several of the dogs had received 

 some severe discipline for attempted thefts, and particularly 

 after we had adopted the plan of muzzling them every night 

 as soon as they had finished their dinner, we had but little 

 trouble. 



In the morning I was generally the one to waken first, and 

 would either start the alcohol-lamp myself or else call Astrup 

 for that purpose. Our morning meal consisted of a lump of 

 pemmican, six biscuits, two ounces of butter, and two cups of 

 tea each. As soon as this was finished everything was re- 

 packed on the sledge, and while Astrup was completing the 

 lashing, I removed the dogs' muzzles, untangled their traces, 

 and attached them to the sledge. I then read the odometer, 

 aneroid, and thermometer, and, taking the guidon, which had 

 waved and fluttered over the kitchen throughout our hours of 

 rest, from its place, stepped forward, and the next march was 

 commenced. After from four to six hours of marching we 

 would halt for half an hour to eat our simple lunch of pemmi- 

 can and give the dogs a rest, and then, after another four to 

 six hours of traveling, halt again and repeat the already de- 

 scribed routine. 



