Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06
Written for The Evening Star.
DOGS THAT DRAW sLEDA

wf1tten tor Inc ENeninS star.
DOGS THAT DRAW sLEDA
Some Curious Facts About vehiciss which
the Eskimo Use
TN THE ARCTIC REGIONS WHERE ONLY
Il the Eskimo find life very well worth living
content with q diet Of blubber and houses made
of snow for winter residence. during most OF
the year all travel must be done over snow and
ice in sledges drawn by dogs such vehicles
are usually made of driftwood and some
what resemble the sleds which boys use in
this latitude, only that they are much
bigger, the runners being sometimes as much
"a fifteen feet long. The latter are con-
neeted by cross-bars Of wood and are shod
with whalebone, ivory, or the jss bones Of
whale Attached to the back Of the convey
anee is pair Of deer's antlers, TO which the
load is tied. the knife for cutting the snow and
the harpoon line being likewise hung upon
them.
other sleeges are actually made out Of slabs
oi ,resn-water ice, which are cut and allowed
70 freeze together in proper shape. Some
times, IN the absence Of blanks or bones of
~haes, substitute is found in walrus skins or
seaiskins, which are Wet and frozen solid, be-
ing thus rendered as seryiceable for the pur-
pose as the, best wood. In Boothia frozen salmon
are utilized in the same way. and. after having
served this purpose In winter, are eaten in the
spring.
DOGS MUST KNOW THEIR LEAprh
The dogs which draw these sledges are OF q
patient breed, but not little art is REQUIRED
Tor managing them They wear simple, but
| ingenious harnesses Of seal skin OF deer skin
In team of them the strongest and most
| spirited animal has the longest trace and is
allowed to run few feet In advance of the rest
laa1 a. l.
three strong dogs with traces Of equal length,
and the weaker and less manageable beasts are
held close to the vehicle. A team is
almost unmanageable if the dogs arc
not accustomed to one another. They must
know their leader, who brings them TO terms
whenever there Is quarrel He must be the
acknowledged chief, else the others will fall
into disorder and refuse to follow hlm. When
the dogs are fed he take the choice morsels;
when two of them quarrel he bites both and
thus brings them to terms.
Though the authority OF the leader ia not
disputed by his own team. dogs of another
team VIII not submit to him. But when two
teams are accustomed 10 travel in company the
dogs in each will have some regard for the
leader of the other, though continual rivalry
and qUarrels go on between the two leaders.
Almost any dog which is harnessed into a
strange team will at first be unwilling TO draw.
and II Is only when he is accustomed to all his
| companions that he will do his work satislac-
torily.
Though all these peculiarities Of the dogs
give great deal of trouble TO the driver, he
must take care not TO punish them toe
severely lest they become frightened and for
lear OF the whip will not work al all In winter
| the shoes of the runner of the sledge are
covered with thick coat of ice, which
dimlnl,hes the friction on the snow. The icing
Is usually done with water, the driver taking a
mouthiul and carefully letting 1T run over
| the shoe until a smooth cover of about one
| third OF an inch IN thickness is produced.
ihen the iclcles male by the water which runs
| down the sides of the runner are carefully re-
moved with the snow knife. after which the
bottom Is smoothed with the same implement
and finally polished with the mitten. This
done, the sledge is turned right side up and
loaded.
STARTING sIEDGE.
After the sledge has been loaded, the dogs
are hitchcd TO it and the driver takes ND lis
whip in readiness tor starting The handle of
the whip is Of wood or bone and quite short,
but the lash is from twenty to twenty-five feet
in length. The lash is made of walnut or seal
nide. In starting the driver whistles to
| the dogs, when they jump to their feet
and are off. Ii they are lazy or tired, however,
| considerable lashing and other persuasion may
| be required. The Eskimo constantly st;mu-
| lates the animals to eXertIon by EXPLANATIONS,
and he directs them TO the right left by
heavy load and across rough ice is often very
| hard. and occasionally the dogs will lie down.
the leader looking around pitiIully, as al TO say,
| I'VE cannot do more.
Ii any dog OF the team is lazy the driver calls
| out his name and lashes him, but it is necessary
to hat the dog called, Tor, II another Is struck.
| he feels wronged and will turn upon the an
| imal whose name has been called out At once
| the leader enters into the quarrel, and soon the
whole lack is huddled into one bowling and
biting mass. No amount of beating will sep.
| arate them, and the oaly thing possible is to
| clear the traces and wait until then
| wrath has abated If two persons are
| on the sledge they must not speak &c
| each other, for as soon as the dogs hear them
| they viii stop, turn around, sit down ana lister
to the conversation. lhe slcige is usually
| steered with tie right foot of the driver. Late
ia the spring. when the snow has melted ano
! sharp Ice needles project everywhere, the feet
OF the dogs are covered with shoes of leather
tied to the legs. with holes for the toes.
HOW THE DOGS ARE BROUGHT UP.
The Eskimo rarely brings up more thar
three or four dogs at the same time. If tn,
litter is larger than this number the rest ar,
| sold or given away. The young dogs are care
| fully nursed. ana IN winter they are allowed Z,
| lie on the couch In the snow house or are huns
| up over the lamp in piece OF skin. WLei
about tour months old they are first put to Tia,
| sledge and are trained to pull with the others
If food is plentiful the dogs are ted every othei
| day. and even then their share lis by no mean
| a Large one.
Iney given the heads, entrails, bones ant
skins of seals. Sometimes in travelling the,
have no food for five six DAYS. If at nberty
| they are entirely able to provide for them
| selves, feeding upon what they can find OF
tie beaches in the shape of CLANS, Goldfish, &c
There is a very fatal dog s disease prevalent IL
the arctic regions which wipes out wholt
packs and frequently leaves the unfortanat,
Eskimo without any team to draw his sledge.