The Provision Question 41 



into a dasher, which is covered by a caribou apron 

 (sometimes decorated in crude painting), and held 

 in its curved position by strings of babiche, as 

 the thongs of caribou skin are called, the same 

 material which furnishes the snow-shoe lacing. 

 On this sledge is fitted a caribou-skin body, 

 about seven feet in length, the full width of the 

 sledge, and a foot and a half deep. Into this is 

 stowed the load. Then the top sides are drawn 

 together, and the whole lashed firmly to the 

 sledge by side lines. This must be done with 

 the care and security bestowed upon the dia- 

 mond hitch used on pack-animals ; for the 

 sledge in the course of a day's travel is roughly 

 knocked about. 



It requires no further explanation, I fancy, to 

 show why it is not possible to carry provisions. 



One of my friends on my return from this trip 

 suggested the possibility of shipping dogs into 

 the country; of doing, in a word, somewhat as 

 do the pole-hunting expeditions. That might be 

 possible to a wealthy adventurer, but, even so, I 

 should consider it an experiment of very doubt- 

 ful results, simply because of the impossibility of 

 feeding the dogs after they had arrived in the 

 country, or of providing for them after you had 



