Winter Adventures of Three Boys | Page 5

resent the restraint of the harness,
and acted as though they would still have preferred the liberty which
had been theirs all through the summer months. Others, however,
seemed to be delighted to hear the music of the little open bells, with
which the collars of their harness were decorated, and joyously barked
and jumped about as though, in glad sport, they were dancing to the
music they themselves were making.
The trail selected at once led them out along Jack River, and then
southwest into Playgreen Lake. Kinesasis's alert eye was on the ice
continually. Now he was glancing at the long stretches before him, and
then quickly deciding the best route to follow. When this was selected

he seemed to critically examine every yard of the ice, over which, on
his moccasined feet, he so lightly and yet so rapidly glided. His
constant alertness was absolutely necessary; for while the ice was
apparently strong enough to be safe, yet when ice freezes up thus
rapidly air holes frequently abound, which may be so thinly coated over
that none but an experienced eye can detect them. They are very
treacherous, as the ice, which to any ordinary observer may appear safe,
may not be a quarter of an inch in thickness, and so the unfortunate
person stepping on one may suddenly drop out of sight.
The rate at which Kinesasis led the party was about five miles an hour.
To do this he kept up a swinging jog trot, and was ever on the alert for
danger. Mr Ross, whose cariole immediately followed the guide, well
knowing that there was a certain spice of danger associated with a trip
like this so soon after the ice had formed, also kept constantly on the
alert, as his long years in such kind of travelling made him almost equal
to an Indian in this respect. After travelling for ten miles they reached a
spot where one of the great currents of the mighty Nelson River, from
Lake Winnipeg, had kept the ice from forming as solidly as where the
water was not so rapid in motion. By its ominous bending and cracking
under him Kinesasis saw the danger and suddenly brought the whole
party to a halt. As the weakness in the ice apparently extended a long
way in each direction, it was evident that the party must get across in
some way or else return home. The latter idea was not for a moment to
be entertained, and so arrangements were at once made for crossing the
dangerous place. This novel plan was witnessed by the boys with a
great deal of interest. At first they wished to jump from the warm fur
robes in their carioles, but this Mr Ross would not hear of. They could
be of no service and would only get thoroughly chilled.
The crossing over the dangerous place was accomplished in the
following manner: Kinesasis first untied the other heavy pole from the
dog-sled, and then, advancing to the place where the weak ice began,
he carefully laid one of the poles on the poor ice, and using the other as
a ropewalker would his balancing pole, he carefully walked out on the
one on the ice. Then carefully placing the one in his hand down on the
ice, in a straight line before him, he stepped on it, and cautiously lifted

up the one over which he had just walked. Using this as he had handled
the other one, as a balancing pole, he thus went on and on, using his
poles alternately, until he reached the strong ice on the other side. Then
he returned in the same way and reported to Mr Ross his opinion,
which was that by doubling the under surface of the carioles they could
pass over in safety.
This was quickly done by taking the sleds, which the third Indian driver
had in charge, and securely lashing them to the sides of the carioles, in
such a way that the area of surface on the ice would be doubled, and
thus the pressure would be only half. As an extra precaution a long rope
was tied to the rear of each cariole. Then Kinesasis once more crossed
over with his poles to the firm ice. The dogs were put to the gallop, and
being urged by those behind, as well as by Kinesasis's well- known
voice in front, the dangerous place was passed in safety.
"Now I see," said Alec, "the solution of what was bothering me. I
wondered how Kinesasis was able to get along over the weak places in
the ice yesterday, but with those poles to help him it is now plain
enough."
"It must require a great deal of practice to do it safely," said Frank.