Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/281

260 "The distance travelled yesterday was full fifty-one English miles, a feat at which I myself am surprised. "On reaching the vessel about 9 o'clock at night, we found there had been an arrival of Innuits (seven in number) on two sledges, with dogs, from Frobisher Bay settlement. They brought along a portion of the walrus deposited by Charley and Koojesse on the other side of the land that lies between us and Frobisher Bay. "These Innuits also brought the dog which the unfortunate Brown took with him as a guide. They met the dog out on Frobisher Bay, returning toward the igloos. It had on simply the harness without the draught-trace, which, to all appearance, had been cut with a knife close up to the harness. This dog is a young black one, and was not suitable as a guide. Had Brown taken either of the others (he had his choice), he would have been conducted safely to the vessel. But he felt sure he knew the way. How fatal that assurance has proved to him! "Bruce, the companion of Brown, arrived with the party of Innuits last evening (5 ). When coming, he was pushing on ahead of the party, and saw, in the distance before him, a black creature which he took to be a bear. He turned upon his heel, and ran as fast as his legs would carry him back to the advancing sledge party, crying to them vociferously to ' ki-ete ' (hasten toward him), as a bear was after him. It proved to be the young, docile black dog of Captain B's, which John had taken as his guide to the vessel. The draught-string of ookgook skin (large sealskin) had, without doubt, been used by John to fasten around his kum-ings (native boots), to keep them properly on his feet. We noticed, when we found him last evening, that his feet-gear had apparently just received the addition of new thongs. His tracks showed that his kum-ings had a tendency to slip down, and to make him slipshod. "The natives brought the dog along with them. As they came across the land, when near Field Bay they found where this black dog had lain down to sleep, and found also that,