MAMMALS OF NORTHERN CANADA 189 



At times, long after he became a hauler, Keskayoo seemed 

 to delight in beginning a fight with other dogs. He was 

 himself a living embodiment of daring, energy, and pluck, 

 quite capable of coping successfully with many of a much 

 larger size, knowing, as he did, that his brothers would 

 rally to his assistance in the event of his tackling a more 

 powerful antagonist, or in a general scrimmage. It was 

 sometimes amusing to watch Keskayoo while being fed, both 

 at Fort Simpson and at the various posts on the above de- 

 scribed journey. A big " bully " among visiting teams at the 

 former (the fort dogs let him severely alone) or the " cock 

 of the walk " at some one of the latter, judging him by his 

 small size, would brazenly come along and attempt to rob 

 him of his fish or meat, but almost in a twinkling of the 

 eye the assailant would be sprawling on his back, severely 

 bitten, retiring afterwards quite crestfallen, with his tail 

 between his legs. The unexpected suddenness and strength 

 of the attack seemed to completely disconcert the would-be 

 robber. It was seldom, indeed, that a second attempt of 

 this kind was made at the same place. 



Previous to the abandonment of Fort Anderson, early in 

 July, 1866, it frequently surprised me to witness the joy- 

 ful greeting which took place between the mother and sur- 

 viving offspring of both litters when they met after days or 

 weeks of necessary' separation. Indeed, they were constantly 

 together whenever possible. Two of the later litter died of 

 distemper and the old mother herself perished a couple of 

 months after giving Ibirth to four beautiful pups in her third 

 and final confinement. Unfortunately they were accident- 

 ally frozen to death in December, 1865. 



Keskayoo was exceedingly quick and active in move- 

 ments of attack or defense, while the protection afforded by 

 his own remarkably long-haired and densely thick fur skin- 

 covering rendered it almost impossible for any dog's teeth 

 to meet in any vulnerable portion of his body. Poor Kes- 

 kayoo died during my first brief visit to the old land in 1870. 



