CHAPTEE XVIII. 

 ON SN0WSH0E8 AND DOG-SLEDS. 



On the morning of the 6th of November, after a stay of 

 seventeen days at Fort Churchill, we were again ready to set 

 out for the south. Our team consisted of six Eskimo dogs 

 attached tandem fashion to a sled twelve feet long and a foot 

 and a half wide. This sled was of the regular Eskimo type, 

 the runners being formed of sticks hewn down to the dimen- 

 sions of about two inches by six inches, and slightly curved 

 up in front. 



Upon the sled was loaded about six hundred pounds of 

 provisions, dog-meat, blankets and other dunnage, all seciirely 

 lashed on within a canvas wrapper. The driver who had 

 charge of the team was a tall young half-breed, named 

 Arthur Omen. Our guide, whose name was Jimmie West- 

 asecot, was a large fine-looking Cree Indian, of about middle 

 age, who bore the distinction of being the most famous 

 hunter and traveller in all that country. 



The party consisted of ten. My brother and I were 

 warmly dressed in deerskin garbs of the Eskimo, while the 

 rest of the party wore the white blanket suits of the traders, 

 and with the exception of poor Michel, whose feet were still 

 too sore to allow him to walk, each man was provided with a 

 pair of snowshoes. As one dog-team was unable to draw aU 

 the freight, the men were obliged to haul their own dmmage, 

 and for this purpose three flat sleds or toboggans were pro- 

 cured, and loaded with sixty or seventy pounds each. 



Thus provision was made for the transport of all neces- 

 sary supplies, but what was to be done with Michel? Mr. 



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