University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-08-31

zation. Close after them came tn,
hunters from the western barrer
lands, bringing with them loads O
white fox and caribou skins, and al
army of big-footed, long-legged Mac
kenzie hounds that pulled like horse.
and walled like whipped puppies wher
the huskies and Eskimo dogs set upor
them. Packs of fierce Labrador dogs
never vanQuished except by death
came from close to Hudson's Bay
Team after team of little yellow ant
gray Eskimo dogs, as quick with theil
fangs as were their black and swift.
running masters with their hands anC
feet, met the much larger and dark.
colored Malemutes from the Atha.
basca. Enemies of all these packs OF
fierce huskies trailed in from all
sides, fighting, swapping and snarling
with the lust of killing deep born in
them from their wolf progenitors.
There was no cessation in the bat
tie of the fangs. 1t began with the
first brute arrivals. 1t continued from
dawn through the day and around the
camp-fires at night. There was never
an end to the strife between the dogs,
and between the men and the dogs.
The snow was trailed and stained with
blood and the scent of it added great
er fierceness to the wolf-breeds.
Half dozen battles were fought to
the death each day and night. Those
that died were chiefly the south-bred
curs-mixtures of mastiff. Great Dane,
and sheep-dog-and the fatally slow
Mackenzie hounds. About the post
rose the smoke of a hundred camp
fires, and about these fires gathered
the women and the children of the
hunters. When the snow was no long
er fit for sledging, Williams, the fac
tor, noted that there were many who
had not come. and the accounts of
these he later scratched out of his
ledgers knowing that they were vic
tins of the plague.
At last came the night of the Big
Carnival. For weeks and months
women and children and men had been
looking forward to this. In scores of
forest cabins, in smoke-blackened te-
pees. and even in the frozen homes of
the little Eskimos, anticipation of this
wild night of pleasure had given an
added zest to life. 1t was the Big
good time given twice
each year by the company to its peo-
pie.
This year, to offset the memory of
plague and death, the factor had put
forth unusual exertions. His hunters
had killed four fat caribou In the
there were great piles of dry
logs. and in the center of all there
rose eight ten-foot tree-butts crotched
~ IhS. up, anu iiOiu CIOtCn u CTOlCu
there rested a stout saplihg stripped
Of bark, and on each sapling was
spitted the carcass of caribou, to be
roasted whole by the heat of the fire
beneath. The fires were lighted at
dusk, and Williams himself started the
first of those wild songs of the North
and-the song of the caribou, as the
lanes leaped up into the dark night.
oh, re cariboO-OO-oo, re cariboo- 90 90.
He roas' on high,
Jes' under re sky.
ze beeg white caribOo-oo-
Now" he yelled. "Now-all to-
yether!" And carried away by his en-
,husiasm. the forest people awakened
rom their silence of months, and the
song burst forth in a savage frenzy
hat reached to the skies.
Two miles to the south and west
hat first thunder of human voice
cached the ears of Kazan and Gray
Wolf and the masterless huskies. And
With the voice of men they heard now
he excited howlings of dogs. The hus-
Iies faced the direction of the sounds.
moving restlessly and whining. For
! few moments Kazan stood as though
.arven of rock Then he turned his
lead. and his first look was to Gray
Wolf. She had skunk back dozen
eet and lay crouching under the thick
over of balsam shrub. Her body, |
egs and neck were flattened in the
now. She made no sound. but her
ips were drawn back and her teeth |
hone white
Kazan trotted back to her, shifted |
It her blind face and whined. Gray |
Wolf still did not move He returned |
o the dogs and his jaws opened and |
losed with a snap. Still more clearly |
anne the wild voice of the carnival, |
nd no longer to be held back by Ka- |
ans leadership, the four huskies |
ropped their heads and skunk like |
hadows in it's direction. Kazan hesi-