254 My Dogs in the Northland 



train driven by an Indian. There was often 

 a certain amount of good-natured rivalry 

 among these drivers as to the place they 

 should have in the procession, as they called 

 it. 



However, in a few days the matter 

 seemed to arrange itself and the weakest 

 dogs with the lightest loads, generally 

 brought up the rear. Keeping, as of course 

 we must, fairly close together, our progress 

 was according to the speed of the slowest 

 train. To expedite matters there was con- 

 siderable re-adjustment of the loads in 

 favour of the lighter and younger dogs. 



Such travelling was conducive to good 

 appetites. The result was there were sev- 

 eral halts during the day for a meal. That 

 there might be as little delay as possible, 

 the guide often carried an axe in his belt. 

 When he decided that it was about time for 

 the next meal he would put on a spurt and 

 run ahead with such rapidity that he would 

 soon be a mile or so in advance. Here he 

 would select a favourable spot near some 

 small, dry trees. Using one of his big snow- 

 shoes as a shovel he soon cleared the snow 

 away from the spot. Then with his keen 

 axe he speedily cut down some of the small 



