206 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



long thong, which on being pulled up brought the missing 

 packet to light. 



Again, while making camp near the Athabasca River, the 

 packeteers had slung the packet in a tree, the usual place 

 for it while in camp. During the night their fire spread and 

 burned up the whole equipment except the tree, which, being 

 green, received little more than a scorching. The packet was 

 unharmed. 



On Great Slave Lake during a fierce snowstorm the packe- 

 teers became separated from their dogs, and were frozen to 

 death. But the packet was recovered. 



In one autumn two packeteers journeying from George's 

 River Post to Ungava Post drew up their canoe on a sandy 

 beach, and camped beneath a high, overhanging bank. During 

 the night the bank gave way and buried them as they slept. 

 When the ice formed, the trader at Ungava sent out two men 

 to search for the missing packet. They found the canoe on the 

 beach; and from the appearance of the bank, conjectured what 

 had happened. Next spring the landslide was dug into, and 

 the packeteers were found both lying under the same blanket, 

 their heads resting upon the packet. 



