The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-14
E. QUlMAU DOGS.
The Wonderful = mount of Labor
Which is Done By These Dogs.


Which ia Done By These Dogs.
T. A. B. Schdnz in Frank Leslie's Weekly
Early in the morning of Jan. 20 of this
year made my final preparations for the
departure of the expedition. Ny dogs, won
derfully shrewd specimens Of their wolf
like breed, had gotten into the habit of dis
tributing themselves over the Esquimau
huts of kauulik village, where may Of
them hal spent their early yout ,, and where
ell of them managed t. find better shelter
from wintry blasts than az my quarters.
For these brutes the Alaskan provides moth
ing to correspond to our dog butts or kennels.
The Esquimau dfsught dog, from his
birth, is crea ure of the open cir, and in
fact, If ne we're treated with more consider
alton aud Afforded a warm abode he would
lose that rugge1ness which fits him SO well
for his work. So he lives in a snow-drift
in lieu OF mud hut, if possible, aud of an
ice hum mock If not. He is fed once day,
and obtains more food when he is idle tuan
when be works, for the Old Latin proved
~ teneS renter non Studet libentern fits
this faithful animal, So wnen, III prepara-
ton for a long trip, he loafS about at home
he receives double or even triple rations of
fish, and gro VS. stout and lazy.
When his travels begin it takes some DAYS
before his limbs will move with the tirelsSs,
machine-ike trot which g his character-
istlc. Each evening GA the road he is thrown
half a salmon dry az a chip, with what little
| juice may be leftin it froz9 as hard as O rock.
| This he devours with astoniSh ,ng rapidly.
| Tbs one who gets through first Usually
| manages to steal or force from one of mis-
| slower colleagues crumo or two, and the
! meal usually ends in al intricate dog fight.
! to which fitting climax is put by wnp-
ping from the formidable lasn OF the
| drivers black snake.
The half-savage brutes, who in spite OF
their wild nature frequently sho wed a rough
| affection for me, werS darnessed in five pairs
! to the long tow line attached to the sled
| only the leader having the preroSstive of
running alone at the head of the team. As
soon as the dogs feel the pressure of their
| harness they at once become quiet, sensible
| and anxious for business.
| | may correct right here popular falacy
regarding travel a It'll dogs in the north.
| People at home have formed, from various
reading and from impressions gained from
early school Biographies, the idea that
northern traveller packs himself into his
furs on the dog sled aud is whiske1 speedily
over u glstening surfaces Of ice by his
dashing dogs. Such is not the case. AT
least not in Alaska. There are no wide
steppes in our Arctic territory the roads as
rule are hard ones for the dogs it is only
rarely that a stretch of smooth clean ice is
encountered. ard therefore il is considered
among the travellers Of Alaska a point of
honor TO refrain from riding on the sled I'M
less the path Is exceptionally fine or the
traveller is afflicted by illness or overcome
with fatigue. The dog outfits are looked
| upon as means fol- transporting provisions,
| clothing and camp eQuipage. Therefore
we walked, and to a person comparatively
unused to snow-shoes, like myself, the walk
| ing was not easy.