of Dogrib people Etsi smiled at the excitement in the eyes of her three grandchildren They spent the next day packing Two large packs one smaller pack and one tent would go in each canoe Tsekoa pass me the sugar Etsi asked Nora Into the food pack went tea flour
raisins sugar lard baking powder dried caribou meat rice salt and a freshly baked bannock Then Etsi packed her sewing kit a few pots and some dishes Etseh carefully placed the guns in their caribou hide cases and checked his ax and fish net We can't forget the teapot laughed Etsi Or the bug jackets said Nora What about the bush radio asked Peter Hee replied Etseh He shoved the bright orange radio into the
S That night John lay on the couch and tried to fall asleep But he kept imagining what lay ahead Fishing swimming campfires Bugs bad weather bears He tossed and turned then finally fell asleep to the rhythm of his grandfather's snoring Ho Time to get up called Etseh No use
sleeping till noon today We need to pack the canoes and get going The weather's good and the water's calm The three cousins followed the smell of sizzling bacon and eggs to the kitchen Eat up These will be your last eggs for a while teased Etsi Later that morning as they finished loading the canoes friends and relatives came down to the dock Even the chief came to see them off He said a prayer and made an offering of tobacco to the water for a safe trip Everyone waved and wished them good luck as they paddled
