224 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



the use of their snowshoes, to which they were not yet 

 hardened, but were not seriously crippled.* 



During the second day from Churchill a band of 

 twenty or thirty deer was seen. Some of us were in 

 no mood or condition to hunt, but Jimmie, the guide, 

 our own man, Jim, and Mr. Matheson, went off in 

 pursuit of the band. Several times during the afternoon 

 we crossed the tracks of both deer and hunters, but 

 when we came upon the big tracks of our guide we saw 

 the first signs of success. He had evidently wounded a 

 deer and was giving him a hot chase, for the Indian's 

 strides were right upon those of a caribou, and to one 

 side of the trail spatters of blood, could be seen on the 

 snow. Toward evening our train came up with Mr. 

 Matheson and Jim, who had a long but fruitless run 

 after the deer, but nothing could be seen of the guide. 

 Some time after camp had been made for the night 

 Jimmie walked in with a haunch of venison on his 

 shoulder. He had wounded his deer early in the after- 

 noon, but had been obliged to run him many miles be- 

 fore he could again come up with him. Lest the carcase, 

 which was lying some distance from camp, should be 

 devoured by wolves in the night, a team was harnessed 

 and Jimmie himself, with another man, started off 

 for the meat, which, a few hours later, they brought 

 into camp. As we had had very little fresh meat for 



* For the benefit of anyone who may be not aware of the fact, I will 

 explain that there are various kinds of lameness commonly produced 

 by the prolonged use of snowshoes. In thus travelling, certain leg 

 muscles which are only accustomed to perform light service are brought 

 into vigorous use, and are very liable to become strained and cause 

 much discomfort and suffering. 



