Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-22
Es0uimaux DOCS.
An Attempt to Introduce Them Into
California as Mail Carriers.

At Summit Station, on the line of the
Central Pacific Railroad between Colfax
and Truckee, Jack Wright the we'll
known Division uperintendent, is try
ing to acclimale pair of Esquimaux
dogs. He has an idea that these animals
can be made very useful in Winter, draw
ing mail sledges, over the snow buried
routes with which the Sierra Nevada
mountains abound, provided they can
survive the heat OF the Summer months.
The great altitude Of Summit Station
makes it the coolest place on the line of
the whole road, but even there the poor
dogs are far from happy. Whenever a
train stops ut the station they
set up a pitious howl as if
in hopes some of the passengers or en-
pioyes on board would take pity on
their lot and send them back to their
native land of ice and snow. The Tor.
onto Globe in description of Esqui-
maux dogs says they are very large
larger than our Newfoundland and much
stronger when in condition. Their
strength however varies In the winter
when they are well fed for driving, they
are much stouter and stronger than in
summer, when they are poorly fed,
without exercise and languid from the
heat, which is very telling upon them,
their native climate far to the north is
severe. The hest of them are white
and yellow-while inferior breeds are
white and black-the hair thick and
bushy, and the tail long, bushy and
curling up at the end. AT times they
are quiet, at Others very savage. They
are driven ordinarily five in number,
but often many more, before sleds, one,
invariably female leading, for the
others will follow her more readily.
Each dog has a separte rein, which is
held by the driver, who has also long
whip made of sealskin, plated as ordi,
nary whips, but with the heavy part
of the lash about the thickness of mans
wrist. The lash is from thirty to fifty
feet long, and the handle, made of wood,
from a foot to foot and a half in length.
When dog is not drawing properly or
misbehaving in any way, he or she is
drawn by his or her separate rein out
from the rest of the pack to receive
chastisement with the whip, and so
well do they know what is coming
that Just as soon as the rein is pulled
the victim begins yelping and struggling
to correct his or her ways before the
whip comes thundering along. Much
skill is required in the use of these
whips, for if not properly handled the
great heavy lash cracks around the
manipulator's body and legs, inllicting
very painful and severe wounds, but in
the hands of person skilled in the use
of them these whips can be used with
great precision ani effect, sometimes
completely cutting dogs ear off.
Very remarkable stories are told abou.
the manner in which the Esquimaux
handle their whips, but they are proba-
bly, exaggerated. 1t is said that they
have frequently attacked and killed
white bears, the most ferocious animals
in the vicinity of James Bay, with
knife attached to the end of a whip.
The dogs are unmanageble when they
get on the track OF deer, and no person
can check them in their wild career as
they gallop cup hill and down dale, )"
over ice and snow ard brush, with the
sled behind them, in pursuit of the
prey. Ordinarily they make about sixty
miles a day, and very pleasantly and
comfortably does man travel in the
northern regions, wrapped up in blank
cts and furs upon dog sled.-1ran.
script.