238 My Dogs in the Northland 



So low was it that an old Indian tradition 

 said that in stormy weather it used to be 

 covered by water. However, in our time it 

 was quite high and dry. The place is very 

 rocky and near the neck of land on the mis- 

 sion side are several high rocky places from 

 which a spectator sees the whole Indian vil- 

 lage, which spreads out east and west on the 

 main shore, and be he man or dog he is dis- 

 tinctly visible from each way. Here, when 

 the dogs were out of their kennels and play- 

 ing about in their usual ways, Koona, if not 

 being watched, would stealthily take his 

 place, hid from observation at the mission 

 by some outbuildings. 



A constant and unceasing antagonism 

 ever existed between the dogs of the mis- 

 sion and those of the village. It was war, 

 sharp and keen, whenever they met, and woe 

 to any single dog that strayed into the do- 

 main of the other side. 



Koona's trick, when he could carry it out, 

 was to mount up on this rocky prominence in 

 full view of many of the village dogs, while 

 his own comrades were all out of sight. 

 Then began the most aggravating and tan- 

 talizing manoeuvres imaginable, accompa- 



