346 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



took her back to her own tupek at a run. Presently I 

 learned the cause of the commotion. Upon my arrival at 

 Etah I had presented each of the Eskimo women with 

 some musk-ox meat and fat, and one of Illaabrado's 

 dogs a fine big fellow had raided her tupek in the 

 kooner's absence and devoured the greater part of her 

 share. The children, entering in time to catch the 

 dog in the act, raised the alarm. These food delicacies 

 the kooner had no intention of losing'. By way of 

 punishment to this particular dog, and as an, example 

 to the canine population of Etah in general, she beat 

 the animal soundly with a barrel stave, first securing 

 him with a rope tied in a slipknot around his neck. 

 Then it was that, the dog taught his lesson not to steal 

 again, the other dogs duly warned against it by example, 

 and her duty fully performed in these respects, the 

 kooner displayed her resourcefulness. She passed the 

 free end of the rope over a ridge-pole of the tupek 

 and pulled until the dog at the other end could 

 barely touch his hind feet to the ground. Then 

 she tied the rope and walked away, leaving the animal 

 suspended. 



' What are you going to do? ' I asked. 



' Get the meat,' she answered laconically. 



When, ten minutes later, she returned, the dog was 

 dead. She lowered the carcass, dragged it out upon the 

 ice, cut it open, and removed the much-chewed fat and 

 meat which the dog had swallowed. While she was 

 engaged in this the children brought her pails of sea- 

 water, in which the recovered delicacies were placed, 

 and washed piece by piece. Thus recovered and 

 cleansed, she displayed them to me with much pride, 

 remarking, ' Just as good as ever ! ' " 



