DAYBREAK IN CUMBERLAND SOUND 225 



On January 23 "we were startled," writes Mr. 

 Peck, " at about 3 a.m. by a pack of hungry dogs. 

 These creatures had managed to climb up on the 

 roof of our skin church, and to our dismay were 

 tearing the edifice to pieces. Hastily slipping on 

 our fur coats, Mr. Parker and I rushed out in the 

 bitter cold. Here in the dim light we could make 

 out our position. We were literally besieged by 

 dogs, and they must in all have numbered over a 

 hundred. Most of them were on the roof, some 

 had fallen through, others were devouring pieces of 

 sealskin, and altogether such a confused mass of 

 dogs young, old, bruised and wounded it would 

 be hard to find anywhere else. After a sharp battle 

 we managed to put these unwelcome visitors to 

 flight, and then we had the pleasure of contempla- 

 ting the mischief the starving brutes had done." 



We have heard fairly often of churches being 

 destroyed by fire or tempest, or even by earth- 

 quake, but probably this instance is unique when 

 one was devoured by dogs. Some years after, when 

 the incident was told to a class of girls in Scotland, 

 one lassie remarked " Now that we have heard of 

 a kirk being eaten by dogs, it is not hard to believe 

 that a whale could have swallowed Jonah." 



Happily the damage was speedily repaired, and 

 the church was, at least, rendered sufficiently 

 proof against wind and cold for services to be held 

 there on the next Sunday. 



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