i8o FARTHEST NORTH 



dream of the happy future when we get home. 

 Home . . . ? 



" Have been enoras^ed on an extensive sartorial under- 

 taking to-day; m) trousers Vv'ere getting the worse for 

 wear. It seems quite mild now to sit and sew in — 18^ 

 Fahr. in comparison with —40" Fahr. Then certainly it 

 was not enjoyable to ply one's needle. 



"Friday, April 19th. We now have provender for 

 the dogs for two or three days more, but I think of sav- 

 ing it a little longer and having the worst dogs eaten 

 first. Yesterday ' Perpetuum ' was killed. This killing of 

 the animals, especially the actual slaughtering, is a horri- 

 ble affair. We have hitherto stuck them with a knife, 

 but it was not very satisfactory. Yesterday, however, 

 we determined to try a new method — strangulation. 

 According to our usual custom, we led the dog away 

 behind a hummock, so that the others should not know 

 what was going on. Then we put a rope round the 

 animal's neck, and each pulled with all his might, but 

 without effect, and at last we could do no more. Our 

 hands were losing all sense of feeling in the cold, and 

 there was nothing for it but to use the knife. Oh, it was 

 horrible ! Naturally, to shoot them would be the most 

 convenient and merciful way, but we are loath to expend 

 our precious ammunition on them; the time may come 

 when we shall need it sorely. 



" The observations yesterday show that we have got 

 down to 85° ■^']!i' N., and the longitude should be 79"" 26' 



