Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1914-07-24

4 o. W
when the sun rose over the r
rounding wilderness. Far out
from the shore the bay was frozen
solid and over the ice and the land the
gale whirled the feathery Snow In
great clouds. If there had been a
spirit thermometer at the hut it would
have recorded a temperature OF at
least forty degrees below zero.
With the first appearance of the sun,
two swarthy men, wrapped to their
eyes in fur, emerged from the hut on
snow shoes and drew from out the
lean-to a long, low sledge on which
was dashed a great load of skins. They
were trappers about to start for b
trading pest some forty miles up the
coast. From the front of the sledge-
they call it komatik-exteaded for
about eight feet a stout sealskin strand
known In these regions as a bride.
Clearly 1t was meant that draft ami
mails Of some sort should be attached
thereto. But where were they7 The
trappcrs knew. Looking at the ten lit
tie mounds Of snow, enc of them called
sharply, HE. ho, no, no, hol"
After Night In Snow.
The effect was curious. The ten lit
tie mounds moved, and then were
transformed int as many dogs, which
uncurled themselves, arose and shock
the snow frem their shaggy coats. An
other sharp call and they came bound
ing to the komatik. Kicking and cuff
ing them, the trappers get them into
the harness. To the leop at the free
end Of the bride they buttened the
sealskin traces, m Of which extended
over each dogs back. there to divide
into tive loops, which, after his front
legs were thrust through them, joined
ever his breast. Now there was a great
hullabaleo, the dogs leaping excitedly
about, tugging at their traces and
bowling with all their might as the
trappers took seats in the komatik.
The man in front had a whip of wal
rus hide fully twenty-five feet long.
Out it few with a resonant crack.
Whit! Whit" shouted the driver.
With q final chorus of howls the dogs
bent forward, straining hard to get
their heavy load under way. and then
with a mad rush they we're OF, the
varying lengths of their traces permit
ting them to travel together like a
pack of wolves.
Gradually their pace slackened nm
til It became a gentle trot. But on
and on all day they went. following
the coast line across frozen bays and
the little necks of land hat lay be
tween them, their driver keeping them
at their duty with his cry of Whit!
Whit" and an occasional crack of the
whip. Sometimes the trappers raI
beside the komatik on their snowshoes
to get their blood in circulation, an6
once In awhile they would have tt
help the dogs haul the komatik up 6
steep slope. Darkness was falling al
they approached the end of their 40
rnile journey. The dogs were tire(
and Jagged more and more. The driver
chilled through and hungry, becam,
savage in his u s of the whip. Blu
suddenly on their own accord, tn,
dogs broke into a run, and again fillet
the air with their bowls. The white
washed buildings of the post had com
in sight. Faster and faster few tn,
dogs and. swinging the komatik dizzil,
, around a point of land they gave
!, series of leaps and bounds, to draw u,
1 at the post with a great flourish tina
would have done credit to a fashion
1 able coaching party.
A hard worker of extraordinary en-
. durance and indispensable withal. il
the desolate regions of the NORTH
! where snow and Ice reign throughou
4 most of the year. the Eskimo O
"husky" dog yet receives a bad nam
I from the men for whom he slaves wit
no other reward than one slender mes
a day and q bullet In the head wis
his ave winters of service have wor
him out. Extreme ferocity, Gambia
Ism. treachery and cowardice are th
8 charges brought against him. This
thsy are not without their basis
proved by an incident bordering on