Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02
DOGS THAT CATCH FISH
A Wolf-Like Breed Used by the People of
Labrador
Trained to Jump From Boat and Sc
cure the Cod Fish Hauled Up
by Their Masters.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Dogs trained to catch fish are among
the features of everyday life on the bar
rem shores OF that distant part of Labra-
dor which belongs to Newfoundland. The
valuable cod fisheries along the 1, 100 miles
of Labrador's coast yield about one-fifth
Of Newfoundiand's total catch of cod. and
furnish employment annually to thousands
of hardy fisher folk. They fish with lines
from $50 to 200 fathoms long, two men to
a boat and each man using two hand lines.
The usual bait is capelin. When fish are
plentiful 1t takes very short time to fill
boat with cod. A number of the fisher
men have trained their dogs to assist them
in catching fish
The rapdity with which the fishermen
haul up their long lines when they feel
bite robs the fish almost entirely of life
and breath by the time it reaches the
face of the sea. 1t comes to the top
completely exhausted salmon that has
been played by an angler until he can tail
it with his hand and so avoid the neces-
sity of gaffing 1t. 1t is one thing, however.
to bring a heavy cod to the surface of the
water and another to get it into the boat.
Cats and landing nets are unknown to
these toilers of the sea. If they can lift
the fish into the boat by the line, all is
well; but this is often where they fail.
If the fish is large and but lightly hooked.
as is often the case. the hook breaks away
from its mouth when the attempt is made
to haul 1t from the water. The fish, still
quite inanimate in manner and appear
ance floats away from the boat the
surface of the waves. This is only for
moment however. The fishers trained
dog often without signal from his mas
ter, leaps over the sunwale of the boat,
plungeS into the sea, swims after the
floating fish and seizes it in his mouth. Re-
turning consciousness, FASTENED by the
new sensation of being taken entirely from
the water and firmly gripped between the
GxyaII
struggles on the part of the fish, which
add considerably to the difficulty the dog
has in swimming back with his burden to
the boat The dog rarely releases his hold
upon his wriggling captive until safe with
in the boat.
Sometimes these dogs have larger game
than Goldfish to struggle with in the water.
Ihey are trained to plunge into the ice
cold water in the spring of the year and
to act as retrievers for their masters when
seal are shot from the shore on the sur
face of the sea.
The dogs employed by the fishermen of
Newfoundland and Labrador are by no
means the specimens of canine magnifi-
cence usually known Newfoundland
dogs They more nearly resemble Eskimo
dogs than anything else, and are often
quite Wolfsh in both manner and appear
ance. 1t is even believed by many people
that the blood of the wild brutes of the
forest flows in their veins. AT a post near
Hamilton Inlet not long ago the door of a
house in which an infant was sleeping in
a cradle had been left open for a short
time during the temporary absence of the
other members of the family. When the
mother re-entered the house she found
only the bones of her child. The little one
had been completely devoured by dogs.
The Labrador dogs are excessively quar-
relsome, and, wof-like, always attack the
weaker. All seem anxious to take part
IN the fray. and scarcely a season passes
without the settlers losing two or three
dogs during the summer from wounds re-
ceved In quarrels among themselves.
Peace Is instantly restored even if twenty
or more are engaged in the ARRAY, by the
sound, or even sight, of the dreaded Eskimo
whip used by the Labradorans. These
people have seldom succeeded in raising
any other domesticated animal on the
coast. Cats. cows and pigs have all been
destroyed by the dogs. If ever dog is
brought up in the house his doom is sealed
AT the first opportunity the others Will
pounce upon him in the absence of his
master and worry him to death This is
the lnVar1abie fate of any privileged dog
on the coast that is permitted to enter his
masters house and to receive the caresses
OF the different members of the family.
The preference excites the deepest jeal-
ousy in the breasts of the Labrador dogs,
and they patiently walt for an occasion to
ayenge themselves.
In the winter these animals will drag a
commetique or sleigh, fifty or sixty miles
a day over the snow. They haul wood
from the interior. carry supplies to the
hunters in the forests far back from the
rucky ana deS0iate coasts, merriIy draw
their masters from house to house and with
their wonderful noses pick out the right
path even in the most pitiless storm. If
the traveller will only trust to the sagacity
of an experienced leader he may wrap him
self up in his bear and sealskin robes and,
regardless of piercing winds and binding
snowdrifts, these sagacious and faithful
animals will draw him securely to his own
door or to the nearest post. The COM
metfque is about thirty inches broad and
ten or twelve feet long The runners are
shod with whalebOne, which, by friction
over the snow. soon becomes beautifully
polished and looks like ivory. The COM
metique is we'll f1oored with sealskns, over
which bear sealskins are nailed all
around. with opening for the traveller
to Introduce his body. The harness is made
of sealskin. The foremost dog, called the
guide. is placed about thirty feet In add
vance, the others are ranged in pairs be
times four pairs of dogs are thus attached
to one commetique. besides the guide.
The Eskimo dog of pure breed, with his
strongly built frame, long, white fur. point
ed ears and bushy tail, is capable of
during hunger to a far greater extent than
the mixed breed. But the latter beats him
In long journeys, even when fed but once
a day. An Eskimo dog will travel for two
days without food; one of the mixed breed
must be fed at the close of the first day,
or he is good for little the next. In winter
their food often consists chiefly Of dried
capeln--the small smelt-like fish used by
the cod fishermen for bait. An expert
driver can hit any part of the leading dog
he chooses with the extremity Of his for
midable whip.