302 HAYES, HALL AND OTHER ADVENTURERS 



come upon a bear-track, or 'wind' a seal, or sight a bird, away they 

 dash over snow-drifts and hummocks, pricking up their short ears 

 and curling up their long bushy tails for a wild, wolfish race after 

 the game. If the whip-lash goes out with a fierce snap, the ears 

 and the tails drop, and they go on about their proper business; but 

 woe be unto you if they get the control. I have seen my own 

 driver sorely put to his mettle, and not until he had brought a yell 

 of pain from almost every dog in the team did he conquer their 

 obstinacy. They were running after a fox, and were taking us 

 toward what appeared to be unsafe ice. The wind was blowing 

 hard, and the lash was sometimes driven back into the driver's face ; 

 hence the difficulty. The whip, however, finally brought them to 

 reason ; and in full view of the game, and within a few yards of the 

 treacherous ice, they came first down into a limping trot, and then 

 stopped, most unwillingly. Of course this made them very cross, 

 and a general fight, fierce and angry, now followed, which was not 

 quieted until the driver had sailed in among them and knocked them 

 to right and left with his hard hickory whip-stock." 



Slowly the winter passed, with its long hours of monotony and 

 its few alleviations. Some amusement was afforded by the con- 

 jugal vagaries of Hans and his wife. The Eskimo lady was singu- 

 larly disinclined for work, and when invited to assist in replenish- 

 ing the men's winter wardrobe obstinately refused. Dr. Hayes 

 describes her as the most dogged of her sex. She was indifferent 

 to everything and everybody, and about once a fortnight indulged 

 in a fit of ill temper, in which she was wont to declare her intention 

 of abandoning Hans and the expedition, and returning to her own 

 people. She essayed the experiment on one occasion, and, with her 

 baby on her back, dashed away towards Cape Alexander. Hans, 

 however, came out of his tent, as calm and impassive as ever, and 

 stood leisurely smoking his pipe, and surveying the receding form 

 of his wife and child with the most provoking unconcern. Dr. 

 Hayes thought it desirable to call his attention to his wife's strategic 

 movement. 



