Another walrus was harpooned on the following day, and these were the only two captured by the expedition during their stay in the Arctic regions. Walrus steaks, from this date, were for some time in great demand, whilst the liver was pronounced to be perfectly excellent, and even superior to pig’s fry!
As a rule these animals are exceedingly difficult to kill, for in addition to their enormously thick skulls and coating of almost impenetrable skin and blubber, they are excessively tenacious of life. A rifle bullet, although a walrus may eventually die of the wound, is more than useless, as it will effectually scare him away, and thus all chance of securing him is lost. The only sure way of succeeding in their capture is by the use of the harpoon, and this weapon of course is only available at short distances.
During the temporary delays of the ships in the ice, amusement was not forgotten, and we often had rare fun. It is a very important point in an Arctic expedition to keep the men constantly employed and interested, otherwise they would, more especially when their onward progress was checked, be subject to gloomy moods and fits of despondency. Care, therefore, should be taken to guard against these feelings.
Amongst the numerous games purchased by the expedition before leaving England was a football, which, on occasions of this sort and when the ice would admit of it, would be produced, and a game kept up with great spirit, though with an utter disregard of all orthodox rules. So long as Jack got his kick, no matter in which direction the ball was propelled, he was satisfied! Officers and men would alike mingle in the game, every one determined to carry out the one grand object, namely, that of enjoying themselves. Skating and sliding on the ice were also accomplishments that afforded much pleasure and amusement, and were freely indulged in by all, irrespective of age or rank. Sometimes our Eskimo dogs would be taken out on the floe and harnessed to an empty sledge, whilst some would-be dog driver, anxious to attain proficiency as a whip, would make a start, and be seen tearing round the floe, regardless of weak ice and pools of water, at the rate of ten miles an hour, returning on board thoroughly drenched, but happy in the knowledge that he had succeeded as a dog driver.
Perhaps a few words here in connection with the dogs would not be out of place. As I have before stated, they lived almost entirely in the fore part of the vessel, and were consequently especial favourites with the men, by whom they were fed and greatly petted. Of course they were all named, their appellations being more characteristic than euphonious. They rejoiced in such names as Ginger, so called on account of his colour; Bruin, because he was minus a tail, having been deprived of this appendage in his youthful days; Boss-eye, on account of the obliquity of his vision, or as our men expressed it, because “his eyes were rove cross-jack brace fashion;” Sore-sides, in consequence of the unfortunate dog when it came on board suffering from an unhealed wound in its side. Sallie, Topsy, Sly-boots, Jessie, etc., were the names of others.
The only English dog in the expedition was my black retriever Nellie, an old shipmate and companion, who took no pains to conceal her displeasure and disgust at the introduction of such, in her estimation, a rough and rowdy pack; nor was she ever afterwards induced to cultivate their acquaintance. As she lived in the after part of the ship, she viewed with a jealous eye any attempts on the part of the Eskimo dogs to intrude on what she regarded as her own domain, and would invariably fly at and drive them forward.
Shortly after their appearance on board, and long before they had been used for sledging purposes, a species of rabies, or dog madness, broke out amongst them, which very quickly and alarmingly thinned their number. The first symptom of this disease would generally be the dog falling down in a fit, from which it would partially recover only to rush about in a frantic manner as if totally deprived of all sense and feeling. On some occasions they would rush into the water and be drowned, and at other times wander away from the ship to be no more seen; sometimes their sufferings would terminate in death, whilst at other times they would be shot in order to release the poor things from their pain.
All expeditions have experienced the same kind of disease and mortality amongst their dogs, for which there has hitherto been no remedy. It is a curious fact that hydrophobia is unknown among the Eskimo, and no man bitten by one of these dogs during a mad fit has ever suffered permanent injury from its effects. Frequently whilst employed sledging, they have been attacked by violent fits, resembling cramp, completely prostrating them, causing them to roll over on their sides and foam at the mouth. On these occasions they would be freed from the sledge, which after a time they would follow, when they would be reharnessed and proceed as if nothing had occurred.
Dr. Colan devoted much of his time to the investigation of the nature and causes of this disease, and I have no doubt his researches will throw a flood of light over this matter that will prove of the greatest value to succeeding expeditions in the preservation of their dogs, and be the means of baffling the attacks of this insidious disease.