MEETING OF THE WILD MEN 179 



grasping at branches, and floundering through bushes. Often 

 they fell, and occasionally, when they failed to regain their 

 footing, were mercilessly dragged downhill; the heavy sleds, 

 gathering momentum, overtook the fleeing dogs, and their 

 unfortunate masters were ploughed head-first through the 

 snow. At the foot of the steepest incline a tumult arose as 

 men and dogs struggled together in an effort to free themselves 

 from overturned sleds. Above the cursing in French and 

 English — but not in Indian — rose the howling of the dogs as 

 lead-loaded lashes whistled through the frosty air. One won- 

 dered how such a tangle could ever be unravelled, but soon all 

 was set straight again. 



About eight o'clock we had our second breakfast and by 

 twelve we stopped again for the noon-day meal, both of which 

 consisted of bannock, pork, and tea. While we ate, the dogs, 

 still harnessed, lay curled up in the snow. 



Again the guide shouted " Ma-r-r-che /" and again the brigade 

 moved forward. Some of the trains were handsomely har- 

 nessed, especially the Factor's. The loin-cloths of the dogs, 

 called tapis, were richly embroidered and edged with fringe. 

 Above the collars projected pompons of broken colours and 

 clusters of streaming ribbons, while beneath hung a number of 

 bells. All the dogs were hitched tandem, and every train 

 was made up of four units. Except the dogs of the Factor's 

 train, there were few real "huskies, " as Eskimo dogs are called, 

 for most of the brutes were the usual sharp-nosed, heavy- 

 coated mongrels that in the Strong Woods Country go by the 

 name of giddes; some, however, had been sired by wolves. 



The track-beater's snowshoes, which were the largest used 

 by any of the brigade, were Wood Cree "hunting shoes" and 

 measured nearly six feet in length. The other men wore 

 Chipewyan "tripping shoes" about three feet long — the only 

 style of Canadian snowshoes that are made in "rights and 

 lefts." 



