HOME IN A HURRY. 127 



The afternoon was spent in securing the meat 

 which we were compelled to leave behind, by en- 

 closing it in a pyramid of logs, against which we 

 heaped a high bank of snow. This, when well 

 beaten down and frozen, held the timber firmly in 

 position, and the Hunter declared it perfectly im- 

 jDregnable to a whole army of wolves, although a wol- 

 verine would certainly break it open if he found it. 



The next morning a light load was placed on one 

 sleigh, and on the other Milton, smothered in buffalo 

 robe and blankets, was securely bound. Keena- 

 montiayoo led the way, the boy followed driving 

 one sleigh, and Cheadle brought up the rear, in 

 charge of his patient on the other. The journey 

 was very harassing and tedious. Our old track had 

 been completely snowed up, and the wretched dogs 

 were not equal to the emergency. Shushu, the 

 leader, was wilhng, but young, thin, and weak ; the 

 middle one, Comyun, was aged and asthmatic ; and 

 the shafter, Kuskitaostaquarn, lame and lethargic. 

 From morning to night the air resounded with 

 howling, and the cries of the drivers anathe- 

 matising Comyun and Kuskitaostaquarn. The 

 sleighs constantly upset, from running against a 

 stump or slipping over a hill- side ; and when we 

 hauled and strained to right them, the dogs lay 

 down quietly, looking round at us, and not offering 

 to pull an ounce to help. When the driver, aggra- 

 vated beyond endurance, rushed up, stick in hand, 

 and bent on punishment, they made frantic exer- 

 tions, which only made matters worse, resuming 



