ARRIVAL AT FORT CARLTON. 11 



managed to get them over to the other side, swimming over 

 ourselves. From where we crossed the river to Fort Carl ton 

 was twenty miles, and we reached it safely. We found it to 

 be a square stockade, about twenty feet high, having a bastion 

 at each corner, while all round the inside ran a platform, some 

 five feet from the top, to enable the defenders to fire upon any 

 assailants. 



There were small guns in the fort, but more for show than 



use. Mr. L , a Scotchman, was in charge, and received us 



very hospitably. He put us all up, and our animals were turned 

 out with the fort herd. We had piles of buffalo robes as beds 

 and found them very comfortable, spreading our own blankets 

 on the top. 



We remained here a few days to recruit ourselves after our 

 long ride, which had been made more tedious by the slow pace 

 at which we had been obliged to travel so as to keep with the 

 carts, as there was always the chance of an attack by Indians. 



My bloodhound had as yet been of no use, and I began to 

 fear that he had no pluck, as he would not face the sleigh-dogs 

 at the fort, always keeping close at my heels when we went out 

 and never leaving the house by himself. These sleigh-dogs 

 were large animals, many of them being as heavy as he was, and 

 numbered about a hundred. They had nothing to do in the 

 summer, but took the place of the horses when the snow had 

 fallen. They were of every colour and size, and were chiefly 

 bred from Indian dogs crossed with Esquimaux, and any looks 

 they might have had were spoilt by cutting off their tails, which 

 got in the way of their harness. 



Hearing one day that the sleigh-dogs had a wolf at bay in 

 a bush near the fort, I took my bloodhound out and, driving off 



