248 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



reached our destination considered ourselves fortunate 

 that we escaped without having to haul the dogs. 



At Norway House the difficulties of the journey, so 

 far as my brother and I were concerned, were practi- 

 cally ended. Enough strong, capable dogs were here 

 secured to admit of our travelling in carry-alls for the 

 remaining four hundred miles still separating us from 

 West Selkirk, the northern terminus of the railway : 

 but of course the Indians had to stick to their snow- 

 shoes. It was here decided to divide our party, and 

 send the three western men home, assisted by the team 

 of Eskimo dogs which had accompanied us the whole 

 six hundred miles from Churchill. The valley of the 

 Saskatchewan River would be their most direct course, 

 in taking which route they would reach their several 

 homes by travelling about the same distance as our- 

 selves. Arthur Omen, the driver from Churchill, chose 

 to go up the Saskatchewan with the western men, so 

 that of the original party there only remained the two 

 Iroquois, Pierre and Louis, to accompany my brother 

 and myself. With the least possible delay four good 

 dog-teams, as many drivers, and a guide were procured 

 from Mr. J. K. Macdonald, the Hudson's Bay Company's 

 Factor, who showed us much kindness, and two days 

 before Christmas the last and longest division of our 

 journey was begun. 



My brother and I were now warmly rolled up in robes 

 and blankets and lying in our carry-alls. Supplies and 

 baggage were all loaded upon the two remaining sleds, 

 and with a driver trotting along beside or behind each 



