ON DOGS AND DIFFICULTIES 149 



make depots of dog food along the coast during 

 summer. 



One day an old Eskimo arrived at Nachvak from 

 Cape Chidley, a distance of about 100 miles. When 

 asked where his dog food was, he answered, " Me 

 go home to-morrow, then feed them," showing the 

 power of endurance of these dogs. On one occasion 

 during a long journey a traveller (P. Mackenzie) 

 shot some caribou deer, and taking all the meat he 

 wanted, pursued his journey. While building his 

 snow hut for the night, a fresh herd of deer passed 

 within scent of the dogs. All, with the exception 

 of their leader, a small bitch, managed to free their 

 traces and gave chase. By chance they came on 

 the dead quarry, and, falling to, at once gorged 

 themselves on it. As they returned to the camp, 

 one large powerful dog was observed carrying a 

 whole haunch in his mouth, and was seen to go 

 and lay it down in reach of the still captive little 

 leader. 



These dogs can be dangerous at times. Once the 

 team of a settler living in Seal Islands ran away. 

 They came back savage as wolves, and it transpired 

 that they had killed and eaten a little girl, of seven 

 years old, while away. Of course their owner was 

 forced to shoot them. This tendency to wander was 

 recently put to good use. A solitary settler and his 

 wife were suddenly struck down with influenza. The 

 man developed lung symptoms, and the woman also 

 became too ill to feed either herself or him. She 



