54 My Dogs in the Northland 



buried these fallen trees out of sight, we 

 vigourously plied our axes and cut out a 

 quantity of logs and branches with which to 

 make a fire. 



In order to make a fire on the ice, that 

 will continue burning long enough for the 

 cooking of a supper, and the thawing out 

 of frozen fish for our dogs, it is necessary 

 first to lay a foundation of logs, the greener 

 and the more difficult to burn the better, on 

 which the actual fire can be built. The sup- 

 ply of wood was limited, or rather very diffi- 

 cult to obtain, so buried was it in the snow. 



We succeeded at last, however, even if we 

 had no light but the stars, and they, owing 

 to the haze, were far from being as brilliant 

 as usual. When at length our fire was 

 brightly blazing out there on the ice, it was 

 a picturesque sight. But there was no time 

 for mere sentiment, as we knew full well 

 that the instant the fire burnt down through 

 its foundation of logs, the steam from the 

 melting ice would extinguish it. Hence 

 everybody was busy and no time was lost in 

 preparing our supper or thawing the fish for 

 the dogs. Everything went off to our satis- 

 faction. Some of the Indians, refreshed by 

 their suppers, kurried off, and by the light 



