The White Wolf O77 
Sverdrup, during the last four years, has been exploring until then unknown parts of 
Arctic America in a direction west of North Greenland. 
Captaim Sverdrup and his people came very often in contact with white wolves. 
They were always objects for powder and shot because of their attacks on the Eskimo 
dogs belonging to the “Fram”; all other animals Captain Sverdrup gave stringent 
orders not to shoot unless there was a 
plausible reason for doing so. He told me 
that he had often gone a long way round 
to avoid coming in contact with a musk-ox 
bull. He would not even kill a bull in 
self-defence. 
One night, having gone to rest in his 
tent, Captain Sverdrup was awakened by 
the barking and howling of his dogs. On 
coming outside he saw his three dogs being 
attacked by eight white wolves, five of 
which he shot down, while three managed 
to escape. Another time he came across 
the yet warm and bleeding carcase of a 
musk-cow, which had evidently been killed 
by wolves; but there was nothing except 
their tracks to be seen. Very likely this 
musk-cow had been travelling alone by 
herself, which very often happens, for 
Captain Sverdrup told me that he had 
watched musk-oxen whilst actually being 
attacked by wolves, and that they stood in 
a ring around their calves, successfully 
defending them and themselves against the 
enemy. The wolves have a very poor 
chance in attacking a herd of musk-oxen, 
so they have to fall back upon foxes 
and hares. Hvyen reindeer the wolves are 
very seldom able to get hold of, because as 
soon as they show themselves the reindeer 
run up to a herd of musk-oxen and seek 
shelter behind them. One day, Sverdrup’s 
people managed to catch two white wolves 
in a trap. They were taken aboard the 
“Fram,” and put ito a cage made of 
planks two inches thick. The wolves—who 
were named “Adam” and ‘ Hve ’’—did not 
eet tame enough to permit the crew to chain 
them on deck until the last summer on ‘ : : 
the voyage home to Norway. ‘They ate Tanaer et TAA 
everything which was given them except 
lard, but they did not care much about bread. They were generally fed with dried 
fish, as well as dried or salted meat of walrus or ice-bear. They ave not very big. 
“Adam,” is about 70 and “ Hye” 62 centimetres high across the shoulder-blade. Their 
sloping back and slinking motions make them look like hyenas; but all in all they 
are in appearance very much like elk-dogs. 
