THE LABRADOR JOURNAL 417 



snow-storm occur whilst under way; and it is always safer 

 to leave one's fate to the instinct which these fine animals 

 possess than to trust to human judgment, for it has been 

 proved more than once that men who have made their 

 dogs change their course have been lost, and sometimes 

 died, in consequence. When travellers meet, both parties 

 come circuitously, and as slowly as possible towards each 

 other, which gives the separate packs the opportunity of 

 observing that their masters are acquainted, when they 

 meet without fighting, a thing which almost always occurs 

 if the dogs meet unexpectedly. Mr. Jones lost a son of 

 fourteen, a few years ago, in a snow-storm, owing to the 

 servant in whose care he was, imprudently turning the 

 dogs from their course; the dogs obeyed the command 

 and struck towards Hudson's Bay; when the weather 

 cleared the servant perceived his mistake, but alas ! too 

 late; the food was exhausted, and the lad gradually sank, 

 and died in the arms of the man. 



July 28. At daylight this morning the storm had 

 abated, and although it was almost calm, the sea was 

 high, and the "Ripley" tossed and rolled in a way which 

 was extremely unpleasant to me. Breakfast over, we all 

 proceeded to Mr. Jones' establishment with a view to pro- 

 curing more information, and to try to have some of his 

 men make Esquimaux boots and garments for us. We 

 received little information, and were told no work could 

 be done for us; on asking if his son, a youth of about 

 twenty-three, could be hired to guide some of us into 

 the interior some forty miles, Mr. Jones said the boy's 

 mother had become so fearful of accidents since the loss 

 of the other son that he could not say without asking her 

 permission, which she would not grant. We proceeded 

 over the table-lands towards some ponds. I found three 

 young Shore Larks just out of the nest, and not yet able 

 to fly; they hopped pretty briskly over the moss, uttering 

 a soft peep, to which the parent bird responded at every 

 VOL. I. — 27 



