Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-04-26
An Adventure with Esquinlaux Dogs.

The following extract from DIR. Hayes's Arctic Boat
Journey will be read with interest at the present tlme
when the writer's proposed Polar Expedition is one of
the topics of the day:
team being tied to separate stake They were howl
ing piteousy Having been exposed to all the fury OF
the Storm with ability to about they had grown
cold and their masters told us, having had nothing
to eat during thrysx hours they must have been saw
agey hungry One of them bad already eaten his trace,
but we out fortunately at the proper moment to
prevent an attack upon the sledges.
Leaving the hunters to look after their teams re-
turned to the hut The binding snow, which battered
my face made me nsensibe to everything except the
idea of getting out of it and thinking of no danger
was in the act of STOPPING to enter the doorway, when
sudden noise behind me caused me to look around and
there close at my heels the whole pack OF thirteen
hungry dogs, snang swapping, and showing thir sharp
teeth like drove of ravenOus wolves 1t was tortu-
nate that had not got down upon my knees, or they
would have been upon my back. In fact, impetuous
was their attack that of them had already sprung
when l faced round. l caught him on my arm and
kicked him down the hill The others for the mo-
ment intmidated by the suddenness of my movement,
and at seeing the summary manner in which their lead
er had been dealt with and they in the act of
sneakng away when they perceived that was power
less TO do them any harm, having nothing in my hand
Again they assumed the offensive they all around
me an instant and should be torn to pieces.
had shaped death several shapes before but had
felt as then my blood fairly curdled in my veins
Death down the red throa1s of pack of woish dogs
had something about it peculiarly unpleasant Con
scous of my weakness they preparing for spring
had not time to haloo for help; to would be
the readiest of bringing the wretches upon
My eye swept round the group and caught something
lying half buried in the snow, about ten feet Distant
Quick flash sprang, [ never sprang before or
since, the back of huge fellow who stood before
and the next instant [ was whrlng about the lash
of long whip, cutting to right and left The dogs
treated before my blows and the fury of my onset and
then sulleny skulked behind the rocks The whip had
clearly saved my life; there nothing else within my
reach, and it had been dropped there accidentally by
Kautunah as he went down to the sledges.
"My principal object in mentioning this little incident
is to show the savage propensity of these dogs which
to the Esquimaux more than the horse to the
camel to the Arab. Savage they are however, only
when hungry. The night without the food had develop
ed all their latent wolfsh qualities. Reclaimed wolves
they doubtless are; and shown by the bodness of
their attack when my back turned and had moth
ing in my hand, and their tmidty when had possession
Of elnnAnr uhr they hav all OF vvolfs eouuIdiUU
Their masters kecp them in subsection only by intimda
ton they will do nothing for they do not fear
and the hunter who has been accustomed to them
for years. and has fed them and driven them has to watch
them closely when they are hungry His whip is then
his constant companion. They capable of attach
pent to their master, be he kind except in rare
cases and they will follow the man who last fed them
little child or disabled person is never safe amonst
them i'll times of scarcity