Pathfinding on Plain and Prairie: Stirring Scenes of Life in the Canadian North-westMcDougall, John
History
Pathfinding on Plain and Prairie: Stirring Scenes of Life in the Canadian North-west
McDougall, John
Frontier and pioneer life -- Northwest, Canadian; McDougall, John, 1842-1917; Northwest, Canadian -- Description and travel
Pat was a big white dog with a short bobtail. He also had a peculiar
twist of the head and a squint of the eye which gave him a wise,
knowing appearance. If he had lived in these latter days, and become
possessed of eye-glasses, doubtless he would have been given a
degree! The shrewd fellow seemed to know that his master was on an
important mission, and the dignity of leading a train the owner and
driver of which was on his way to be married, was fully apparent to
"His Dogness." His demeanor _en route_ and around camp was simply
taking. Pat and his master gave us endless fun on that trip. When
these would come up, which was generally after camp was made, the
Chief Factor, the Chairman of the Hudson's Bay Missions, and the rest
of our party became all attention, and Pat and his master were the
centre of joke and fun. Their account of the morning's or
afternoon's run (I say their, for Pat would by nod and look confirm
his master's recital) was sure to "bring the house down." We were
unanimously thankful during the days and nights of that very cold
trip for the stimulating presence of Pat and our short-limbed
bridegroom-elect.
During our second afternoon's run, while making through a rough
country, we came to an exceedingly sidling place in the trail.
Having sent my own load past and helped father over it, I thought I
would wait and see what our rearguard was doing. After some time I
heard "Marse, Pat!" coming from the little Scot's big lungs (for have
you not noticed that Nature in the nice balance of her equity
generally gives the little man a big pair of lungs), and soon Pat
hove in sight, his tongue protruding, and the breath from his big
mouth making little clouds of frozen vapor in the sharp cold air.
The cunning old dog was making the appearance of doing it all, but
all the while I could see that his traces were slack.
Soon dogs and sled were on the sidling road down the hill, and over
went the cariole and down the slope rolled its contents. Pat and his
companions felt the load lighten, and just then remembered that they
were far behind, and in vain my friend shouted "Whoa, Pat, whoa!" On
went the train, and now I came upon the scene. The bridegroom-elect
shouted, "Catch those dogs, John! I say, John, stop those dogs!"
Laughing as I ran, I caught and pulled Pat up, righted the cariole
and held the train while the little Celt gathered up the fragments,
which I saw largely consisted of presents from Edmonton friends to
the marriage supper, now nearly two days nearer in view than when we
started.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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