240 Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



which is usually laid a seal-skin. The other dogs sleep in the passage, and as 

 soon as their masters have dined they are called in one after another to drink 

 a ladle of broth or eat a little seal-meat and blubber; for the strips of lamp 

 blubber from which most of the oil has been consumed are always reserved 

 for the dogs, who receive in addition, during seasons of plenty, some of the 

 meat and the intestines, besides unlimited quantities of blubber still attached 

 to the skin. As each dog finishes its portion the woman drives it back into 

 the passage again with a raucous sound as though she were clearing her throat, 

 and the command is supplemented with a sharp blow from the snow duster 

 if it dares to delay a single moment. Some dogs are fonder than others of 

 prowling inside the house among the feet of the visitors, and their owners will 

 shout at them, "You dog, you are always inside, will you never go out?"^ It 

 is not often that the Eskimos strike their dogs, apart from an occasional blow 

 to drive them out of the house; but whenever they do strike they strike hard. 

 Inveterate fighters and trouble-breeders naturally receive the most punishment, 

 and I have seen dogs almost mutilated with a stick. The more usual method, 

 however, of cooling the passions of a troublesome dog is to tie a string round 

 its neck and push one of its fore-feet through the loop so that the animal hobbles 

 along on three legs. In summer, when there is no danger of the limb becoming 

 frozen, a dog may be left in this condition for two or three days. Dogs always 

 fare worse in summer, for they are kept constantly tied up by their harnesses 

 (except when travelling) to prevent them from stealing the meat with which 

 the camp is littered; and they are muzzled as well when there are caribou in 

 the vicinity. Instead of the satisfying seal-meat and blubber they receive 

 only fish-bones, and fish- and caribou-broth, with the entrails and a little of 

 the lean meat of the caribou when food is plentiful. Then they have to work 

 harder at this season; instead of hauling a sled ten miles every fortnight or 

 three weeks they pack an equal distance nearly every day with loads of from 

 twenty to forty and even fifty pounds on their backs. The sleekest and best- 

 nourished dogs of winter become lean and scrawny, with their ribs almost 

 cutting through their skins. Yet their hardships must be attributed to the 

 conditions under which they live, not to the cruelty of their owners. The 

 Eskimo knows that his own comfort, if not his very existence, depends on his 

 dogs, and the better he uses them, the more faithful will be their service. In- 

 stances of cruelty do occasionally occur, but the majority of the natives are 

 kind and indulgent masters to their dogs, and reciprocate the affection that 

 their dogs obviously feel for them. 



In concluding this sketch of the life of the Copper Eskimos a few remarks 

 are necessary about the influence of the handful of white men with whom they 

 came into contact prior. to our expedition. The earHest explorers, such as 

 Collinson and Rae, lingered too short a time, and had too little intercourse with 

 them to produce any considerable effect upon their lives. A quantity of iron 

 was introduced into the country and a feeling of friendliness generated towards 

 the white man, but .beyond this they had little real influence. Hardly more 

 was effected by Hanbury's rapid journey along the coast in 1902, or by the 

 bri,ef sojourns of Captains Klengenberg and Mogg in Victoria island between 

 1905 and 1907, or even by the visit of Mr. Stefansson in 1910 and of Mr. Stefans- 

 son and Dr. Anderson in 1911. The first important changes came in when 

 Messrs. Hornby and Melville established themselves on Great Bear lake in 

 1908 and Captain J. Bernard reached Coronation gulf with his schooner in 

 1910. Extensive trading was carried on with the natives, who then for the 

 first time came into possession of the high-powered rifles that bid fair to revol- 

 utionize their lives. Fox-trapping, too, became profitable now that they had a 



'The Copper Eskimos in speaking to their dogs use either the 2nd person imperative or the 3rd. Thus 

 they may say either "kimmik takanna annili" Dog down there, let it go out," or simply ' kimmik iakanna 

 itereaglutin," Dog down there, go out." Cf. Stefansson, Anthrop. Papers, A.M.N.H., Vol. XIV, pt. I, 

 p. 267. 



