A great white bear skin is
folded and laid along the front, making a comfortable seat. That bruin
must have been an enormous creature. The box comes about the middle;
it contains the traveller's traps. Behind it some coats, a gun, a
harpoon (we may see a seal if we go on the ice), some wood (we shall
want a fire for camping out, and I hope matches have not been
forgotten), the coats of the men, a sleeping sack and a pair of
sealskin trousers. Those two oval frames like a large lawn tennis bat
without handle, are a pair of snow-shoes. All these traps are secured
by a sealskin thong passing over the ends of the cross-boards, and
pulled tight. It would not do to lose anything on the way.
Now seat yourself there in front of the box. But the dogs are not
attached to the sledge. _Seat yourself_; they are all harnessed. Each
has a band of sealskin round his neck and another round his body, and
to this simple harness is attached the separate trace or thong by
which he does his share in pulling the sledge. In one moment the
sledge rope will be passed through the loops of all their traces, and
they will be off almost before you can say "Hoo-eet," for they, like
the Eskimoes standing round, seem to enjoy the fun.
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