Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-22
LAZY, BUT FULL OF FIGHT.
Three of Greely's Rescuers Longing 70
the North Pole

the North Pole.
over in the navy yard, says the New
York Sun, the members of the rescuing
party who receive the most attention
seem to prize it least. They roll around
the deck of the Bear, trying to keep out of
the sun, and only become really animated
when the cook begins frying something
savory in the galley. Then they poke
their long noses in at the door. and wait
until something is thrown to them.
They are three Esquimaux dogs,
taken out by the relief expedi-
ton, and brought back to en-
JOY lite where there is plenty to eat. But
the sailors say the dogs didn't seem to
look at the matter in a pleasant light,
and grew more and more uneasy as they
got further South. They seemed to en-
terrain horrible suspicion that they were
being inveigled into a trip to the equator.
and awaited with dread the time when
reindeer, fish, and icebergs should give
out, and warmth and starvation stare
them in the face.
Five were brought from Greenland. but
two were given away at Portsmouth.
The joyful demonstrations which took
place there convinced the remaining three
that the equator had been reached, and,
thinking that it could not get any hotter,
they began to adapt themselves to cir
cumstances, and to devote their exclusive
attention to antagOniZing two NeWfOund-
lands who were taken on at st. John.
They fought the NewfOundlands pretty
much all the time, and this kept them
occupied and cheerful. Occasionally the
NeWfOundlands got tired and refused to
fight, and then the EsquImaux fought
among themselves. But the sailors
noticed, with great admiration, that, no
matter how bitter they might be against
each other, they suspended their ami
mOsities and became brothers with one
accord as soon as q row broke out with the
new corners.
A little way out from Portsmouth five
young EsquimauX were born, and this
created a great cOmmOtlOn among all the
dogs on board. The big Esquimaux knew
that the little ones couldn't stand the
heat, and were much worried about it i;
and the NewfOundlands failed to under
stand the half dozen fat little hairy,
| chunky animals that had come among
them, and showed tendency to inVesti-
gate the matter by biting little pieces out
of the pups. This led to constant war
and a long succession of bleeding ears
and scratched noses. 1t only ended with
the death of the little EsquimauX. The
heat, combined with Overeating and the
persecution of the Newfoundlands, was
too much for them and they dropped off
one by one, in spite of the care of the sail
ors, who kept them as cool as possible
and kicked their enemies at every oppor-
tunity.
When all but the last pup was gone the
mother didn't know what to do. She kept
it all day between her paws, and bit at
everything that came along. without dis
elimination. At last it died too, and then
she became inconsOlable. She wandered
around in the sun, and lay down reck-
lessly near the furnaces, as though court
ing death. Her long yellow hair has all
fallen out, and she is very thin. Visitors
to the vessel look at her and laugh at her
poor appearance, without perceiVing the
equatorial tragedy going on before them.
But the sailors understand it all, and are
very sorry to see that she is going to die
The other two dogs seem, however, to
get along very well. They are sleek and
fat, and the hair is growing out on the
places that had been rubbed bare by the
sledge harness. Accustomed to ill treat
ment and abuse at home, they are treated
like heroes and experience all the agreea-
bic sensations Of an imported second rate
English actor. But, like the latter. they
appear to take all for granted, and seize
every opportunity to show by their ac-
lions that they consider the north pole
far more comfortable than anything in
this country.
But in spite of their fine appearance
now it is feared that they will not live,
and DR.. Ames, who takes a great interest
in them, is going to take them to the
Metropolitan ice house in Brooklyn,
where they will wander up and down the
cool corridors until the winter comes on,
when they will be exhibited in Central
Park beside their compatriot, the polar
bear.
Ensign Harlow of the Thetis, when
spoken to about EsquimauX dogs, said:
81 had the finest dog in Greenland. and
one that had been nearly 1000 miles fur
Their north than any of the rest. He had
come down from Sanders Island, with a
lot of other dogs, hitched to a sledge, and
l picked him out from among the lot He
was beauty, and L got him cheap. l
made trade with the EsquimauX lady
who owned him. l gave her paper Of
needles, spool of thread, and a fruit
knife. It was good bargain for her, but
the dog died-went Overboard-jus before
we arrived at Portsmouth. Some of the
boys thought it was case of suicide, but
don't believe it. Probably he thought
it was hot enough, and he wouldn't 90
any further down. He didn't realize how
far we were from shore when he jumped"