THE MUSK-OX HUNT IT n 



had now killed seven musk-ox, and already had as many on 

 my sled as the Hudson's Bay people had told me it was possi- 

 ble to haul. When Johnnie returned from chasing the scat- 

 tered herd, I stated my plain and unbiassed opinion of him in 

 all the Red River French and Dog Rib that I could command. 

 His deprecatory "yaz-zi" changed to a sheepish "ne-zi" — good 

 — when I informed him that I had secured all the robes that 

 I wanted. He refused to carry a skeleton for me at any price, 

 not even a head or half a split skull would he carry, though 

 I gave him two robes for carrying back the lodge. 



The next day was spent in camp; the others were engaged in 

 skinning the animals killed, and in boiling bones for grease to 

 eat on the return trip. I thus had an opportunity to prepare the 

 two skulls for transportation. 



On the twenty-first day of the hunt we started homeward — 

 the turning point of the expedition. We were all heavily 

 loaded with the loose, bulky skins. The sleds were frequently 

 overturned, and if our dogs had not been in unusually good con- 

 dition would never have been brought out at all. My load 

 extended over both ends of the sled, and was nearly as high as 

 my shoulders. With the four lodge-poles on the top, it was 

 no easy matter to keep everything lashed firmly. 



On the twenty-third day a blinding snowstorm prevented 

 moving before midday, when we pushed on through the soft 

 snow without meat for ourselves or the dogs. On the return 

 trip we only secured five caribou, which was less than half 

 rations for five men and sixteen dogs. 



We were now burning our lodge-poles for fuel; on the night 

 of the twenty-fifth day the lodge was set up for the last time, 

 with two poles only, and with our sled lines, made fast to the 

 circle of sleds, which were always enclosed, gave sufficient sup- 

 port. We started at 6 a. m., determined to reach the Copper- 

 mine, some fifty miles distant, before camping. In the after- 

 noon we came upon a lodge-pole, standing beside a sled track 

 which we had followed all day, upon which a line written in the 

 syllabic characters informed us that Jimmie's party was to 

 reach the woods that evening also. 



At half past ten, after sixteen and a half hours of continuous 

 traveling, we reached the little grove of pines, which seemed 

 more welcome than any harbor to the storm-tossed sailor. We 



