18 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 
had been shipped thus far the previous summer, and I was not 
a little relieved to learn that they had all arrived in good shape 
and were safely stored in the Company’s warehouse. 
The problem next confronting me was the transport of this 
6,000 pounds of outfit to Old Fort Reliance at the northeastern 
extremity of the lake, a further distance of about two hundred 
and fifty miles. 
As 400 pounds (besides dog food) represented the extreme 
capacity limit of the native flat sleds or toboggans, it was clear 
that for the transport of my outfit at least fifteen sleds and dog 
teams would be required, and this number was not available. I 
was persuaded by everyone at the Fort that the only possible 
way of taking such an outfit up the lake was by boat about the 
first of the following July, and this was most consoling infor- 
mation, as I had based my calculations upon being far into the 
interior by that date. 
I had not gone out unprepared for such an emergency as 
now presented itself, but had with me several parcels containing 
thin steel sled shoeing, and with this and such other materials 
as could be procured, I proceeded, with the help of my assistant, 
Mr. Fairchild, and good friend, Percy Acres, of our own city, 
to build long light sleds of such a design that I considered I 
could haul 1,000 pounds instead of 400 with each team of four 
dogs. 
Our operations were watched, by both H. B. officers and 
natives, with much interest and even amusement, for as our 
sleds assumed their unusual shapes and proportions, many were 
the smiles and jests of our critics. My contention that a team 
could haul more than twice as much upon our sleds as on those 
of the native design was received with ridicule ; but when the 
day came for making a test, and four of my dogs were hitched 
to a load of 1,000 pounds, interest reached a climax. The load 
looked so big and the dogs so small that my own faith was tried 
for a moment, but upon the first crack of the driver’s whip the 
load was started, and away it went with the dogs on a trot. A 
few moments later the driver whipped them into a full gallop 
and called for all hands to jump on, whereat three men did 
