42 My Dogs in the Northland 



were not many. Quickly bracing myself on 

 my knees with my robes well around me, I 

 gripped the heavy whip so that I could, if 

 necessary, use the handle of it as a club. 

 Then I sternly shouted to the dogs in In- 

 dian language to stop and then turn to the 

 left. The instant they heard my voice, they 

 did stop, and that so suddenly, that my 

 rapidly moving cariole went sliding on and 

 passed the rear dog of the train, as far as 

 his traces would allow. Then they came 

 for me furiously. The leader of the train 

 was the fiercest of the four, and he led in 

 the attack. 



It was certainly well for me that he did 

 so, for swinging the others around, brought 

 them all into such a position that only one 

 at a time could reach me. I am left-handed, 

 and so, as he sprang at me, I guarded my 

 face with my right hand well wrapped in 

 furs, while I belaboured him over the head 

 with the oak whiphandle. Three or four 

 well administered blows were all he needed, 

 and with a howl he dropped on the ice while 

 the next one in the train tried his best to 

 get hold of me. One fortunate clip on the 

 side of his head sent him tumbling over on 

 his leader, and then I had to face the third 



