Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-07-24

western coast of Hudson's bay
when the sun rose over the sur
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
spirit thermometer at the hut 1t would
have recorded 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 long, low sledge on which
was dashed a great load of skins. They
were trappers about to start for the
trading post some forty miles up the
coast. From the front of the sledge-
they call 1t komatik-extended for
about eight feet stout sealskin strand
known In those regions as bride.
Clearly it was meant that draft ami
mails of some sort should be attached
thereto. But where were they? The
trappers knew. Looking at the ten lit
tie mounds of snow, one of them called
sharply, "Ho, no, no, no, hol"
After Night In Snow.
The effect was curious. The ten lit
tie mounds moved, and then were
transformed into as many dogs, which
uncurled themselves. arose and shook
the snow from their shaggy coats. An
other sharp call and they came bound
ing to the komatik Kicking and cuff
ing them, the trappere got them into
the harness. To the loop at the free
end OF the bride they buttoned the
sealskin traces, one of which extended
over each dogs back, there to divide
into two loops, which, after his front
legs were thrust through them, joined
over his breast. Now there was a great
hullabaloo, the dogs leaping excitedly
about, Juggling at their traces and
bowling with all their might as the
trappers took seats In the komatik.
The man in front had whip of wal
rus hide fully twenty-five feet long.
Out 1t few with a resonant crack.
Whit Whit" shouted the driver
With a final chorus of bowls the dogs
bent forward, straining hard to get
their heavy load under way, and then
with a mad rush they were off, the
varying lengths of their traces permit
ting them to travel together lil q
pack of wolves.
Gradually their pace slackened un
I, til 1t became a gentle trot. But on
and on all day they went, following
, the coast line across frozen bays anc
the little necks of land that lay be
tween them, their driver keeping then
at their duty with his cry of Whit
Whit" and an occasional crack of the
whip. Sometimes the trappers rar
beside the komatik on their snowshoe.
to get their blood In circulation, anC
once in awhile they would have t.
help the dogs haul the komatik up
= steep slope. Darkness was falling a.
they approached the end of their 40
mile journey. The dogs we're tireC
. and Jagged more and more. The driver
chilled through and hungry, becam,
I savage in his use of the whip. Blu
suddenly on their own accord, tn,
: dogs broke into run, and again file,
i the air with their bowls. The white
washed buildings of the post had com
Q in sight. Faster and faster flew tn
! dogs and, swinging the komatik dizzil,
l. around a point of land they gave
; series of leaps and bounds, to draw u
d at the post with a great flourish tina
would have done credit to a fashion
able coaching party.
A hard worker of extraordinary Ell
d durance and indispensable withal. i
the desolate regions of the nortl
= where snow and ice reign throughou
l. most of the year. the Eskimo O
husky" dog yet receives a bad nam
from the men for whom he slaves wit
no other reward than one slender mes
a day and a bullet in the head whe
his five winters of service have wor
= him out. Extreme ferocity, Gambia
ism, treachery and cowardice are tn
charges brought against him. Ths
they are not without their basis
proved by an incident bordering on