280 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH [Mar. 



Doctor Hovey was apparently in the best of health, 

 for he had been well clothed and well fed throughout 

 the winter. He had religiously taken his one hour's 

 exercise every day, regardless of the severity of the 

 weather. Now that the sun was high and the seals 

 were up on the ice, furnishing plenty of good fresh meat 

 for dogs and man, there was no reason why he should 

 not take the long trip in safety. Koo-la-ting-wa, one 

 of the best dog-drivers in the North and a man in whom 

 we had absolute faith, was secured by promises of a 

 liberal reward for the important task. He selected as 

 his assistants his own son, Ee-meen-ya and Tau-ching- 

 wa. This southern division was fitted out with tea, 

 biscuit, pemmican, and everything absolutely needed 

 for the work. Hovey left Etah on March 24th, and 

 reached New York the latter part of August, upon the 

 very day that we arrived at Sydney, Cape Breton. 



