2 4 2 ON SNOW-SHOES TO THE BARREN GROUNDS 



sired directions by tufts of moss or rock set up in lines, 

 along which the Indians lie in ambush, or driven into 

 lakes, where they are slaughtered by the hundreds. The 

 waste in summer of these food-providing animals of the 

 North on the lakes is almost incredible. Hundreds are 

 speared and shot down merely for their tongues, their car- 

 casses being left to rot where they have fallen, and calves 

 are killed for no other reason than to gratify the North- 

 land Indian's love of destruction. In winter the caribou's 

 eyesight is keener ; they are separated into small herds, 

 and infinitely more difficult of approach. In following a 

 leader they are very much like sheep, and I saw many of 

 them killed by Indians who ran to a point where a herd 

 was passing, and which continued to very nearly hold its 

 course despite the proximity of the enemy. Caribou run 

 in single or double file, and are very rarely bunched. If, 

 therefore, the Indians starve because of unskilled hunting, 

 it is only just retribution for their improvidence and ra- 

 pacity. It was a bit hard on me that I happened at 

 this particular time to be an innocent sufferer in the 

 result. 



Such wanton destruction must have had in a hundred 

 years some appreciative effect in thinning the number of 

 caribou, yet it is noticeable only by the restricted area of 

 range, for there seems to be no diminishing in the size of 

 herds ; at least the herds continue so large it is impossible 

 to discover any lessening in their numbers. 



The passing of laws to restrict this slaughter has been 

 agitated in the Canadian Legislature, but it is pretty safe 

 to say nothing actually effective will ever be accomplished, 

 for the very good reason that it would be utterly out of 

 the question to police the Northland, certainly not the 

 Barren Grounds; and even if that were possible, which is 

 really absurd to even consider, nothing short of an army 



