The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-11
Nansen on Reindeer.

DR.. Fridtjof Nansen questions the abil-
ity of the government to get reindeer to
Alaska, on account of the peculiar habits
of the animal as to food, which renders
their transportation for any distance by
sea or land where their natural food Is
deficient. a matter of extreme difficulty
The latest reports from Sweden are that
the government agents there are unable
to get a sufficient number OF reindeer
from Lapland in time to be of service this
winter. 1t is therefore proposed to use
mules in the government relief expedition
to the Klondike under army officers.
Arctic explorers have long utilized dog
trains for packing purposes. Such trains
have always answered expectations Dogs
have been of much use to carry the mails
in countries where the winters are IN
clement and roads and other facilities for
communication are lacking. II Is not so
many years ago since the mails were de-
livered TO the Lake Superior country by
means of dog sleighs. The pioneers had
no other resource. Our distinguished pio-
neer friend, Peter White, of Marquette,
for number Of winters served his neigh
bors by carrying the mail from Green
Bay to the shores of Lake Superior. using
dogs to draw the sleighs. The same ami
mails were used as means of communica-
ton with the copper country in winter.
They have been superseded by the extern
sion of railroad facilities. but for a long
time, even in Michigan, dogs were indis-
pensable as draft animals.
Dogs are used constantly as beasts of
burden in Belgium and Holland, and TO
a limited extent in Germany and swift
erland. The Beigians made most of these
animals, to such an extent indeed that the
French have a proverb: Il would not be
TD-I~ lore in
sells, Antwerp and Client have had occa-
sion to comment on the novelty OF seeing
vehicles OF fine construction to which
dogs-singly or in teams of two or more
up to six-were hitched abreast In these
countries the law regulates the employ
ment of dogs and guards them from abuse
Working dogs are not taxed, but all 9TH
ers are.
The price of dogs suitable for hitching
to carts ranges from S. to SO in Hol-
land and Belgium. No particular breeds
are kept for hauling purposes, and no
dogs are especially bred for the work
The ordinary mongrel dogs OF the country
various in size and color as can be, are
used. They have been employed for years
unnumbered-and those from 20 to 80
inches high are found best adapted for
working. The tail and ears are cut short;
strength which would otherwise enter in
TO this extremity is retained in the spinal
column, and the ears in order TO pre-
vent the natural Tapping, which would
be an inconvenience and hindrance TO
their work when annoyed by flies.
The training of draft dogs is simple.
young dog is hitched alongside OF an ex-
perienced dog. but without giving him any
load TO draw. In little while he comes
to know his business. A team of or
dogs will draw load of 600 or 500 pounds
on ordinary roads for several consecutive
hours. In slightly rolling countries dogs
will outdistance horses for long hauls- In
Belgium they frequently work the dogs
Is hours a day. with intervals of rest.
Meat is not fed them oftener than once
a week-horse meat usually; the princi-
pal food is milk, bread and vegetables
This food, when specially furnished, costs
not more than seven cents day for each
dog. The animals receive but little care
and attention. They can stand all sorts
of weather; their feet never give out
They do need good kennels and freedom
from restraint at night, but even then
after working all day, they prove good
watch dogs. They like their work, and
take to il with entire willingness. OBJ
serving the signs of preparation effects
them much as the hunting dog is aHected
when he sees the gun in readiness ana the
signs of starting out for game. III lett
at home alone they show discomfort until
the cart comes back again. These things
commend the dog to an economical peo-
pie like the Belgians and the Hollanders-
The difficulties of the route to the klon-
dixie. owing to mountain climbs, and
edged up hummocks of ice on the rivers,
ara greater than is experienced in the
Arctic seas. Probably with the heavy
snow fall which must now cover all that
region, and frozen crust. the dog train
may be the best means of transportation
Our Lake Superior mail carriers used TO
pick their way with the dogs, where there
we're no roads, and where the ice on the
shores of the lake was as hummocky as
it is on the Yukon. AS long as the crust
of snow bore up the dogs and sleighs they
went merrily along, covering loo miles
day.