AND KAYAK 105 



'' The Hand of God is very near us on the 

 Labrador." 



I cannot tell how the Eskimos find their 

 way in darkness and storms : I think that it 

 must be by a special gift, the sense of direc- 

 tion, such as the bees and the birds possess. 



I tried to get an explanation of it from little 

 Johannes, while I was crossing a wide bay 

 with him on a pitch dark night. 



We had no track to guide us, and the powdery 

 snow that was falling made the night darker 

 than ever. We could not see anything. 

 Johannes sat on the front of the sled and 

 talked to the dogs. He told them tales of 

 birds and seals and foxes, and sometimes of 

 houses and supper, and the dogs were running 

 all the better for the sound of his voice. 

 " Johannes," I said, " how are you finding the 

 way ? " 



Johannes waved his hand towards the front. 

 " That is the way," he said. " Yes," said I, 

 " but how do you know : have you a land- 

 mark to guide you ? " " You shall see the 

 landmark presently, when we come to it," 

 said Johannes ; and he went on with his 

 chirping and chattering to the dogs. 



On and on we went, two hours of steady 

 trotting through the darkness ; and suddenly 

 a great black shape loomed up alongside. 



