HET... Bas Dog

By J. Blackiston-Grey

Further to John F. Stanwell Fletcher’s article “Do Tahl-Tan Bear Dogs Live in

YES! THERE still remain a few
rue specimens of that small spicy
\boriginal, commonly known as the
Tahl-Tan Bear Dog, nor will he go
he way of the Great Auk and the
Passenger Pigeon if it is within my
ower to prevent it. During the last
‘our years I have been stationed at
he northern frontier post of Tele-
sraph Creek in British Columbia.
This small post is the hub of that
vast territory known to all big game
overs throughout the world as the
Cassiar. It was one of my many
{uties to patrol this area, not alto-
sether a difficult allotment when
sroperly equipped with adequate
bush transport, namely the saddle
horse and dog team. During my
many sojourns at the various Tahl-
Tan Indian settlements and encamip-
ments I noted that a number of the
natives were in possession of a small
alert fox-like dog and which unfail-
ingly created a great deal of noise
when a stranger approached the tent
or shack of his nomadic master. The
outstanding traits of these little ras-
cals so intrigued me that I consulted
the Rev. W. Pelham Thorman of
the Tahl-Tan Anglican Mission,
this gentleman possessing a ‘lifetime
knowledge upon all ancestral matters
relative to the Tahl-Tan Indian.

To my amazement I gleaned that
this small dog possessed the back-
ground parallel to the Tahl-Tan
Indian. In other words he was a
native dog having passed through
generations in company with the
native. This was all very interesting
and I therefore resolved to make
further enquiries from the natives
themselves.

I selected the oldest natives in the
territory for my informants, namely
Stone-Juice, Hunter Frank and his
aged wife, Lame Dick, Broken Jaw
Dick, Beale Carlick, Charlie Quock,
George Etzerza and many others. In
some instances it was necessary to
use the medium of an interpreter in
my interrogations. Fortunately I
was previously acquainted with the
respective Indians which is a great
asset when in conversation with the
average native. I must say we had
some very interesting chats.

The ultimate result of my investi-
gation is such that there is no doubt
whatever in my mind that this small
native dog is the direct progeny of

NINETEENTH EDITION

North America,” published April, 1940.

an aboriginal dog existing in the
Tahl-Tan Indian hunting territory
of the Cassiar in northern British
Columbia.

All of the natives that I have re-
peatedly interviewed over a period

Chief Quock who told the author a great
deal about the bear dogs.

of four years agree that their ances-
tors were in possession of this dog
before the encroachment of the white
man upon their territory. That the
dog was utilized for the purpose of
hunting game, particularly tear.

According to the older natives the
bear dog is a relentless hunter by nose
and eye.

In days gone by it was the custom
of the Tahl-Tan band of Indians to
make a semi annual hunting excur-
sion to the uplands, Caribou Moun-
tain, level Mountain, Iskut country,
Nass country and many unmentioned
locations, meandering over their vast
undulating terrain in the never end-
ing search for food. During this per-
iod the larder consisted of cariboo,
mountain sheep, mountain goat,
bear, groundhog, porcupine and
birds (there were no moose in the
country in earlier days) and upon
such occasions the bear dog predomi-
inated in the chase.

I am told and it is interesting to

y ndsons Dan Company.

INCORPORATED

ene MAY 1670.

“Where YOU shop at THE BAY you'll find that—
COURTEOUS SERVICE, assists you in finding
QUALITY MERCHANDISE, that is happily

BUDGET CONSCIOUS.

for your saving.

CRO

Dudson's Bay Company.

INCORPORATED 27° MAY 1670.

VERNON — KAMLOOPS. — PENTICTON

BRITISH COLUMBIA

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