The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-05-09
ES9EEuAUA Is0GS.

The following extract from Doctor
Hayes "Arct;c Boat Journey" vii! be
re;;d with interest at the pr sent time,
when the writer's proposed Polar Expe-
dition is one of the topics ofthe day:
1.-THE dogs were fastened by Their long
traces, each team being tied to a separate
stake. They were bowling piteousiy.-
Having been exposed to all the fury of
the storm, with ut ability 10 run about
they had grown cold and, as their mas
ters told US, having had nothing to eat
during thirty-six hours, they must hsve
been savagey hungry. One ofthea,'h had.
already eaten his trace; but we came out,
fortunately, at the proper moment to pre-
vent an attrct upon tho sledses.
"Leaving the hunters to look after
their teams, | returned to the hut. Tho
binding snow which battered my face
made me insensible to everything exccpt
the idea Of getting out of it: aud thinking
of no danger, was in the act ofstoopina
to enter the doorway, when sudden
noise behind me caused me to look around
and there, close at my heels, was the
whole pack Of thirteen hungry dogs, snail
ing, swapping, and showing their teeth
like q drove of hungry wolves. 1t was
fortunate that | had not got down npon
my knees, or they would have been upon
my back. la fact, soimpetuous was their =
attack, that one Of them had already
sprung when faced round. | caught
him on my arm aud kicked him down the
hill. Tho others were for the moment
intiFhidated by the sluldenness of my
movement, aud at seeing the summary
manner in which their leader had been
dealt with; and they were in the act Of
sneaking away, when they perceived that
was poweress to do them any harm,
having nothing in my hend. Again they
assumed the ofeusive; they were oh
around me; an instant more and should
be torn to pieces. | had faced death in
several shapes befor', bnt never had I
felt as then; my blood fairly curdIed in
nv veins. Death down the red threats
of pack OF wo!fish dogs had something
about it peculiarly unpleasant. Conscious
of my weakness, thoy were preparing for
spring; had not time even to haloo E
for help. To run would be the readiest
means of bringing the wretches upon me.
Ny eyes swept round the group and
caught something lying half buried in the
snow, about ten feet distant. Quick MS q
flash sprang, as | never sprasg before
or since, over the back of huge fellow
who stood before; and the next instant [
was whirling about me the lash of long
whip, cutting to the right and left. The
dogs retrcated before my blows and tho
fury of my onset, and then sailenly skulL-
cd behind the rocks. The whip had
clearly saved my life; there was nolIling
else within my reach; and It hEel been
dropped there quite accidentally by Kai-
utunah ~ be went down to the sledgeS.
"My principal object in mentioning this
little incident is to show the savage pro-
pensity Of these dogs, which are to. the
Esquimaux more than the horse to us,
or the camel to the Arab. Savage they
are, however, only when hungry. The
night without food lad Developed all
their latent wo'fsh qualities. Reclaimed
wolves they doubtless are; aud, as shown
by the boldness of their attack when my
back was turned and when I had moth
ing in my hand, and their tilniIity Wien
1 had possession Of a slender whii they
have all Of a VOLTS cowardice. Their
masters keeptken in suljection only by
intimidation: they will do nothing for a
man they do not fear; and even the hum
ter who has been accustomed to thenF
for years, and has fed them and driven
them. has to watch them closely when
ny ara hungry, His whips then. his
constant companion. They are caPabfs
ofno attachment to their master, be he
never so kind, except in rare cases; and
they will follow the man who last fell
them. A little child or disabled person
! never safe amongst then in times OF
scarcity"
z- - -. 80. - -x