The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-21

A Traveller Testifies to Their shrewdness
AMI Fidelity.


M. Alfred 3. Schanz, who headed an
exploring expedition through Alaska. mas
told a reporter something about the
dogs OF that country;
The EsquImau dog from his birth 10
his death which in many instances IL
violent one, never knows the luxury OF
shelter or a bed. He spends his existence
outdoors, and appears TO De lar ihoie
comfortable I'm winter than In summer
The pups, when hardly able to tnduie'
instlnctively show an ambition 10 run
with sleighs and join with their ueOie
soueals the enthusiastic chorus or ho"is
with which the Esduimau dog invariably
greets the first fall of snow. j may say
here that the Esquimau log never parks
The ambition OF the young dogs
Is soon taken advantage of by the Es-
ouimau. The little fellows are hitched TO
sleds In company with full-grown dogs
and 10 prevent them from being run
over they are tied by the leck TO the
atow-Iine so that when the run starts
out they are compelled to keep up or De
dragged by the team. This simple. though
brutal. method of training is very enect-
i've. and after one or two runs the young
dog understands what is wanted OF hifn'
Even before he is full grown he Is thor-
oughIy conversant with his duties
The rnuch-referred-to intelligence or the
Scotch collie, which is sort OF hrst
cousin TO the EsQuimau dog, Is undoduot-
eddy even surpassed by that OF his Arctlc
relative. Some OF the characteristics OF
the Esduinau draught dog are almost in
credible. Any one who has observed them
finds it difficult to deny him the credit OF
reasoning power. / had one dog when
persisted in feigning lameness or SICK,
ness In order 20 shirk duty. lie Wouiu
suddenly begin to limp dreadfully ana
look back at his driver with most pm
table EXPRESSION. He succeeded seyerdI
times In arousing my sympathy ana De-
ing released from the harness until ohc
of my EsquimauX assured me luat J.,
was all trickery. After that puhsheu
him whenever he tried 20 shlrK dtu III
every case IL would be days before any
sign Of lameness would be seen. lie nao
a trick Of slipping out of the harness
in which ne was an expert, and made his
escape from the ropes in a manner which
would make a spiritualistic medium green
with envy. This dog. through Sinking MS
work. had incurred the enmity OF the rest
of the team, and they resented repeatedly
his unwillingness to meet his part oil the
teams obligations. ] saved him seVeral
times from the fierce onslaught or MS
colleagues after he had run away from
the sled.
A good Esauimau leader dog is won
der of intelligence. He Is not guided by
line or whip, hut merely by words ana
motions of the hands. If, when the team
is RAPIDLY moving ne be suddenly called
upon to halt, II stands 10 reason that II
he stopped abruptly the rest Of the team
and the sled would run over him, or
would become entangled in a snarl. He,
therefore. when commanded to halt,
makes a curve to the right or left. and
faces TO the rear moving slowly until
the sled can be stopped. He then looks
with bright eyes at the commander. walt
ing orders and a motion of his hand suf-
ices TO make him change the direction
In which the outfit is going. The leader,
at least In some instances I have OBJ
served. Is extremely proud OF his respon-
sibiity, and. as a consequence maintains
an exclusive demeanor toward his col
leagues. He sleeps by himself. and growls
when approached by what he considers
his Inferior. 1t is customary to feed him
separately and encourage him In his van
ity. and II is a conventional rule never to
submit him to physical punishment.
The worst punishment that can be In
hicted upon a conscientious leader dog
is TO reduce him 10 the ranks, and his
abject demeanor as he sorrowfully sinks
along with his tail between his legs is
almost heartrending. On the other hand
the deg that has been promoted at once
assumes a self-conscious strut. The old
adage that dog will not eat dog was
proven repeatedly on my trip. on one
occasion a dog received no food fer nearly
five days because we had through the
bungling of a lying guide underestimate
the length Of march and had run out
OF the supply of dried salmon, which
forms the sole diet Of the EsquImau deg.
In consequence we lost half dozen OF
our faithful animals by starvation, a
trial which 10 me was more agonlzlug
than any personal suffering. | never
saw during this period OF misery single
sign shown by any one of the team 10
satisfy his cravings upon the body OF
his fellow.
Fidelity is the chief virtue OF the Es-
| quimau dog. one of my leaders, when
| crippled by starvation and oVerwork, had
| to be abandoned because he refused TO be
carried OH the sled. ] eft him behind
| feeling as II l were tearing myself away
| from a dear friend, but before we con-
! tinued our way l gave him the last fish
we had. depriving ourselves OF that much
| food Three days afterward. while we
were cncampng at the Esquimau village
| OF Kahonak the dog reached us, having
| followed our trail with bleeding feet
| and emaciated body for eighty-five miles
! forty-five OF which consisted OF crossing
/ the surface OF the great Lake Hanna
| in "poorga" "a rather exaggerated
species Of Observation-Disclosures Sentinel
! ---
DEATHS.