MEETING OF THE WILD MEN 181 



woodland seemed to swarm with them, and no wonder, for it 

 was the seventh year, the year of Northland game abundance, 

 when not only rabbits are most nmnerous, but also all the 

 other dwellers of the wilderness that prey upon them. Al- 

 ready, however, the periodical plague had arrived. When I 

 stopped to adjust a snowshoe thong I counted five dead hares 

 within sight; next year starvation would be stalking the 

 forest creatures. 



CAMPING IN THE SNOW 



While the sunset glow was rapidly fading, the brigade halted 

 to make camp for the night. All were to sleep in the open, for 

 dog brigades never carry tents but bivouac on the snow with 

 nothing but a blanket between the sleeper and the Aurora 

 Borealis — though the thermometer may fall to sixty below 

 zero. Some of the men moved ofi" with axes in their hands, and 

 the sound of chopping began to echo through the forest. On 

 every side big dry trees came crashing down. Then the huge 

 "long fires", driving darkness farther away, began to leap and 

 roar. Then, too, could be seen the building of stages on which to 

 place the valuable fur-laden sleds out of reach of the destructive 

 dogs; the gathering of evergreen brush; the unhitching of dogs 

 and the hanging up of their harness in the surrounding trees; 

 the unloading of sleds ; the placing of frozen whitefish to thaw 

 for the dogs; the baking of bannocks, the frying of pork, and the 

 infusing of tea. Then, in silence, the men ate ravenously, while 

 the hungry dogs watched them. 



When pipes had been filled and lighted each driver took his 

 allotment of fish, called his dogs aside, and gave them a 

 couple each. Some of the brutes bolted their food in a few 

 gulps and rushed to seize the share of others, but a few blows 

 from the drivers' whips drove them back. 



When the dogs had devoured their day's rations — for they 



