244 FARTHEST NORTH 



" Yesterday we shot our first game. It was an ivory 

 gull [Lams cbcrnciis), which went fiyi ng over the tent. 

 There were other gulls here, yesterday, too, and we saw 

 as many as four at once; but they kept at a distance. I 

 went after them once and missed my mark. One car- 

 tridge wasted; this must not be repeated. If we had 

 taken the trouble we could easily have got more gulls ; 

 but they are too small game, and it is also too early to 

 use up our ammunition. In the pool here I saw a seak 

 and Johansen saw one too. We have both seen and 

 heard narwhals. There is life enough here, and if the 

 kayaks were in order, and we could row out on the 

 water, I have no doubt we could get something. How- 

 ever, it is not necessary yet. We have provisions 

 enough at present, and it is better to employ the time 

 in a^ettin^^ ori, on account of the do£>:s, thouoh it would 

 be well if we could get some big game, and not kill any 

 more of them until our ice journey is over and we 

 take to the kayaks for good. Yesterday we had to 

 kill ' Klapperslangen.' He gave twenty - five rations, 

 which will last the six remaining dogs four days. The 

 slaughtering was now entirely Johansen's business ; he 

 had achieved such celerity that with a single thrust of 

 my long Lapp knife he made an end of the animal, so 

 that it had no time to utter a sound, and after a few 

 niinutes, with the help of the knife and our little axe, he 

 had divided the animal into suitable doles. As I men- 

 tioned before, we left the skin and hair on ; the former 



