The Indians of the North. 381 



with their families in canoes to the hunting ground where they 

 pitch their camps, from which their hunting excursions are made. 

 Two Indians generally accompany each other in these. They carry 

 nothing with them but guns, ammunition and matches, trusting for 

 provisions to the hunt, which is not always successful, so that some- 

 times they may go for days without food. 



When winter sets in, and canoes are no longer practicable, the 

 dogs which have been idling and growling around the camp are 

 harnessed up and used to transport their furs and venison to camp, 

 and to bring the results of their chase to the trading post. A dog 

 train will make forty miles a day with considerable ease ; some- 

 times as high as seventy. The Indians seldom ride on the sled, but 

 generally run after it. 



The dogs in summer have to take their chances for a livelihood ; 

 but in winter, when at work, they are regularly fed once a day, and 

 that in the evening. The one meal consists generally of two frozen 

 whitefish (about eight pounds in weight in all) to each dog. At 

 York Factory blubber with oatmeal is used for dog feed. At an 

 Indian camp there are generally more dogs than persons, and when 

 these commence howling (and they bark, and snarl, and howl con- 

 stantly) the night is doleful enough. 



