28 



RECREATION. 



cult ascent for 2,500 feet, when the coun- 

 try broke off into a succession of ridges 

 and buttes, like the bad lands of Da- 

 kota. Farther on a series of higher ridges 

 with little muskeags between, and at least 

 a higher and still more rugged country. 

 There, in a canyon, provided with scrub, 

 we made camp, believing that would be 

 our headquarters during our hunt. 



Next day 3 sheep were killed. The 

 first was lost over a precipice. The second 

 and third we got. The 2 following days 

 we drew blanks. Thereafter I organized 

 side trips. The first, of 4 days, only 

 brought us one specimen, but the second, 

 of 8 days, resulted in 10 good catches. 

 Then a long period of hard luck; then 

 better fortune. 



That was no pot hunters' paradise. Ani- 

 mals were scarce and wild, yet persistent ef- 

 fort filled our main camp with specimens, 

 clean and perfect, with all the bones neces- 

 sary, and all properly tagged and tied up in 

 bundles. In one direction only our efforts 

 were fruitless. I could procure no caribou. 

 In late fall and winter they go into that 

 country, but not in the summer. During 

 that season they range far back in the 

 rugged recesses of the mountains. I 

 made a strenuous effort to reach them and 

 marched straight toward the heart of the 

 mountains for 2 days, crossing a stream 

 which nearly wound up our earthly affairs. 

 We plunged in just above a roaring cata- 

 ract and though we plied our accustomed 

 tactics of pole and line, we were almost 

 borne off our feet 100 times. When we 

 finally reached land I lectured the fellows 

 heartily for rushing so hastily into danger. 

 The second evening we reached a stream 

 that we could not cross, and, reluctantly 

 abandoning our quest, returned to main 

 camp. 



There I discovered that I was suffering 

 from blood Doisoning. My hands were 

 swollen and covered with painful ulcers. 

 To carry all our specimens on our backs 

 was impossible, so we decided to con- 

 struct a cache on the Carcajo, where dog 

 sledges could reach them in winter. We 

 set about the task at once, building it on 

 a level bed of rock above high water mark. 

 We carefully arranged the specimens in- 

 side so as to admit air, covered them with 

 canvas and oiled duck to keep them dry, 

 and above all that put a double layer of 

 timbers, piling stones around and above the 

 whole. 



My hands grew worse; the disease was 



spreading to other parts of my body, and 

 I found it necessary to hasten back to the 

 Fort. Despite my condition, I was in ex- 

 cellent shape for travel, and during the 

 long, arduous journey across the muskeag 

 I did not once feel fatigue. For nearly 

 40 days I had subsisted on sheep alone, 

 yet I experienced no ill consequences. 

 The quantity of fresh meat, if fat and ten- 

 der, which I could consume was wonder- 

 ful. A fat rib from an adult male nicely 

 roasted before a camp fire is a sweet, re- 

 freshing morsel, though a round of suck- 

 ing doe is not quite so palatable. The 

 flesh of the lamb is insipid. The brains 



and tongues all fell to me and were good. 



* * * * ^ * 



Strikingly noticeable in the mountains 

 is the absence of flowering plants. Only 

 a few varieties were seen. 



Not a single field of snow was crossed 

 and there was no snowfall while we were 

 in the mountains, but soon after leaving 

 them we could see them clothed in white. 

 The weather was fine; only a few cold 

 rains fell, and now and then a thunder 

 shower visited us. But smoke and fog at 

 all times obscured the view and prevented 

 me from securing photographic scenes. 



Neither grouse nor ptarmigan were met. 

 We sighted one caribou, the only animal 

 beside sheep seen on the whole trip. 



The muskeag is fairly well stocked with 

 moose. Black bears are also found there; 

 wolverines, marten, lynx and beaver along 

 the small streams and in the lakes. A few 

 grizzlies are found in the mountains. 

 Caribou are abundant in some places, but 

 just what kind I am unable to say. I 

 hope later to be better informed. 



When I reached the Fort I was in 

 frightful condition from the blood poison. 

 Addressing myself faithfully to the task 

 of doctor and nurse I soon pulled to 

 healthy levels. It seemed delightful to be 

 a well man once more. 



My Indians did well as Indians go. 

 Most of such people are not clean, 

 but as filth organizers mine could give 

 cards and spades to any others I ever saw. 

 To live among them, to be compelled 

 to use them, and to witness their loath- 

 some habits is one of the most abomina- 

 ble features of Northern travel. 



The 1st of September found the coun- 

 try in autumn dress. Making sledges, 

 snowshoes and other preparations for 

 winter for Great Bear lake and the Cop- 

 per mine was then the life of our camp. 



Harold: You shouldn't wait for some- 

 thing to turn up, old chap; you should 

 pitch right in and turn it up yourself. 



Rupert: But it's my rich uncle's toes, 

 old chap, that I'm waiting for. 



