SHORT COMMONS. 125 



wood as rapidly as tlie dogs could go. Milton's nose 

 and clieeks were frost-bitten, and required careful 

 rubbing to restore them. On tlie morrow, by the 

 Hunter's advice, we stayed in camp, while lie went 

 out alone to reconnoitre, and try and kill a buffalo. 

 Our provisions were by this time reduced to a few 

 handful s of flour, and a little pemmican — hardly 

 more than sufficient for that day's consumption. 

 We had started with a fair supply of white-fish and 

 pemmican ; but six dogs rapidly reduced it. Two 

 fish a day, or three pounds of pemmican, is the 

 regular allowance for a sleigh-dog when travelHng ; 

 and the quantity required to satisfy a man in 

 the cold winter is greater still. We therefore 

 spent an anxious day, waiting for Keenamontiayoo's 

 'return, wondering whether he would be successful 

 in obtaining meat. We put ourselves upon short 

 commons, and the dogs upon still shorter, and even 

 went to the length of fixing upon one useless, tooth- 

 less old fellow as a victim to our appetites, in case of 

 extremity. 



^ 'The day wore on slowly and monotonously, the 

 cold was severe as ever, and we diligently cut and 

 stacked a large supply of wood for the night fire. 

 Mght closed in around us, and we still watched in 

 vain for the Hunter, and speculated whether the 

 delay was a sign of his good luck or the reverse. 

 Hours of darkness passed away, and yet we listened 

 anxiously, expecting to hear the footfall of the 

 returning Indian. Misquapamayoo became very un- 

 easy, and sat silent and absorbed, listening intently 



