120 THE BARREN-GROUND CARIBOU 



and as the Caribou was a fine animal I decided 

 that this was a good opportunity to secure a 

 museum specimen. Therefore I gave up further 

 idea of hunting, got a good fire going near the 

 carcass, and set about comfortably skinning the 

 animal. I got through with my task sometime 

 about 1 p.m., having then the head, limb-bones, 

 and skin complete. I then drank a refreshing 

 brew of tea, for one always carries a pan for that 

 purpose, and prepared to go back to the raft. 

 I had brought my camera out, and food for an- 

 other day : this weight I discarded for the time 

 and left beside the carcass of the Caribou before 

 I covered it over with a mass of spruce branches 

 to frighten off prowling animals, particularly 

 timber-wolves. The raw hide and limb bones 

 and antlered head were then made into a pack 

 and I started for home from a place I had never 

 seen before and that I had entered with the 

 guidance of Indians. Had it not been snowing 

 my return would have been arrived at simply 

 by following back on my old tracks, but these 

 were covered an hour or two ago. However 

 I had no doubt about the main direction, and 

 about 3 p.m. I was at the narrows. Not knowing 

 the country, I was at fault in meeting obstacles 

 which I lost time in getting round, and, indeed, 

 finally reached the chain of lakes below the narrows, 

 having to work up-shore until I came to them. 

 To my astonishment, when I reached the narrows, 

 I saw that the raft lay across on the opposite 

 shore. The Indians had gone home ! They had 

 not waited for me ! 

 Not then, but later I learnt that they had done 



