Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-20

timber. While they were tnuS ldpofl-
ously toiling, and apparently doing all
that dogs could do, a saucy, beautlfui
black fox suddenly crossed the trail In
front of them, and in full sight of all.
With a chorus of banks and hSwis,
and a simultaneous bound, they were
off with rush through the forest after
that fox, and not until the head OF the
heavy oak sled smashed against a tree
was their mad career brought to a sud
den close.
One of the present drawbacks TO the
Immediate use of dogs in large num-
beers is the scarcity of food in the
Alaska and Klondike regions back
from the coast. This, however, can be
well remedied before another winter.
as during the brief warm months salm-
on and other fish can be dried and
cached" along the routes where in
winter the dogs can safely trail with
the mails and travellers outfits. Fish
is the great staple food for dogs, and
as all these shores and streams TEEN
with them il will not be difficult to lay
in large supplies that will be available
when required through the winter. j
used To catch about 10000 fish in few
days in October. They quickly freeze
solid, and in this condition | kept them
for my dogs as ] required them. We
only feed our dogs one meal a day, and
this Is given them at the night camp.
when the days work is done. We
found that If we fed them i'm the morn
ing or at noon they We're inclined 10 be
sluggish and short-winded. and did not
in any way thrive as we'll as when they
had one good meal a day. We general
~ gave each dog about II pounds
weight of fish. on this they throNe
well and could go on day after day,
dragging on an average of from hNe 10
seven hundred pounds for each sled
of four dogs. All the road or trail they
need is the guide on his snow-shoes
ahead Of them, hence their superiority
over horses or even reindeer. 1t may
seem strange to some when we men
ton that in those trackless rough re-
sions one Of the essential requisites.
ever thought of by a kindly. humane
iog-drivers, is Il goodly supply of warm
dog-shoes The best kinds are made
out of a warm kind of English cloth
called douifie. 1t is Il very thick tlan-
nell woven very firmly. The dogshoes
in shape are like a large mitten with
out thumbs. The well-trained dogs
that are accustomed to be shod when
their feet become sore are very fond of
these shoes. and often resort to laugh
able means to induce their masters 20
put them on. Sometimes they will
balk in the trail and will absolutely
refuse to move until warm shoe is
put on the injured foot, which they will
most comically hold up. SOmetimeS in
the bitter cold nights in the wintry
camps they will get up from where
they have been shivering in the snow.
and coming to the spot where their
masters and drivers are sleeping. they
will together seize hold of the heavy
robes and quickly pull them off the
sleeping men. Then ere their masters
can raise their heavy whips to drive
them off the cunning dogs would drop
down on their back on these robes and
holding up their fore and hind feet.
would most piteously plead to have
their warm shoes put on their freezing
feet for perhaps the temperature was
| at least Co below zero,
The Indians Of all these Northern
regions have ever made the best dog
drivers and tripmen. Some of them
are, we are sorry to have to write it,
inclined to be cruel to their dogs. but
there are others who can get just as
much work out of them without ever
striking a blow. 1t is a cause of
thankfulneSs that successful missions
have been established among many Of
these Indian tribes, and hundreds Of
the red men now employed with Their
dogs by white men have won the re-
spect and admiration of their employ
crs, not only for their intelligent skill
and endurance in this most difficult
work. but also by their honesty and
truthfulness. The work accomplished
by Mrs. McFarlane and other noble,
self-denying women. and by such men
as Sheldon. Jackson, Mr.. Duncan and
many others of kindred courage and
wisdom has been genuine and abiding
Now. as tripmen and dog-drivers. these
Indians are making good wages and
esta bliShing comfortable homes at
their different missions. The only fear
in these days. when such great multi
tudes are rushing in for gold. is that
unprincipled white men with their
vices and fire water will in some degree
undo the good work which has been
already accomplished among these In
dams. What a sad comment on our
boosted Christianity and civilization fs
this fear,-Boston Transcript