The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-12-21

IL n 81 near Point Barrow, finds
&x ~ there type of Eskimo dog
&k4at0kAx which seems to be direct
descendant of the gray
wolf, and is singularly like its progen-
itor in appearance. The purest of the
wolf breed is now rare in other parts
of Alaska. for the great rush of civil
lied men to the gold fields has brought
with it dogs of all varieties. The dogs
OF the pure type are great, gaunt fell
lows, with shaggy hair that is almost
black in many instances, and grows
longest about the shoulders, giving
them a sort of ruff that adds to the
fierceness Of their appearance. They
never bark, their cry being a mournful
howl, quite like that of the wolf.
They are Injured to desperate hard
ships, and lie out in the snow and the
Arctic night unprotected, although the
thermometer may be fifty below zero,
and it seems as if all living things ex-
posed to the sweep of the Arctic gale
must perish.
Perhaps it is the instinct of wolf-pack
loyalty surviving, but whatever it is,
dogs of the wolf breed are singularly
faithful to those who bring them up.
Hence, buying dogs of the natives in
Arctic Alaska is rarely successful. If
you manage to keep the dog he is likely
to pine away. 1t is rarely that you
can keep him. A pup taken from it's
native owners when but few weeks
old will remember them, and follow
them years after, if not tied up, and it
is utterly useless to try to keep a
grown dog when purchased.
A notable instance of this is the story
of Kingmuk, The Faithful, who came
with other dogs and a party of Es-
kimos from far inland to visit the
whaling station at Point Barrow.
Mr.. Stem, who was new man In
charge Of the station, and, although
good whaleman, little skilled in shore
life, bought many of these dogs, and
tied them up with ordinary dog chains.
Early the next morning the natives
started for the interior, and when Stem
went out to inspect his purchase, he
found every chain but one snapped.
An ordinary dog chain is Of little use
with one of these dogs; they had sim
ply followed their masters.
All but one had gone, and he had
been fastened with an extra heavy
chain. That was Kingmuk, who came
to be surnamed The Faithful. He was
an old dog then, and his strength had
not been equal to the chain.
Some weeks later Kingmuk was re-
leased. His owners were now hun
dreds Of miles away, and the blowing
snow had long obliterated their trail,
for the terrible Arctic winter had al
ready set in. Yet this had no terrors
for Kingmuk, and he set forth imme-
diately to find his friends.
All winter he trotted over the frozen
wastes, far and near, in search of
them. He avoided the whaling station
and the native villages alike, and sought
neither food nor shelter from mankind.
How he lived only the wolf wisdom of
centuries could fathom, but he did live
somehow, and reports of him came in
occa sionally from up and down the
coast and far into the interior, some
times hundred and fifty miles away.
He was recognized by his yery
shaggy hair and the remnants of
deerskin sled harness, which still hung
on him. He never was seen to lope or
walk, but kept up a steady dog-trot.
now circling the country in wide
sweeps, now quartering it like hunt
ing dog in search of game, always
seeking. but never approachable.
In the rarefied atmosphere he was
sometimes taken for a deer. and
stalked by the hardy Eskimo hunts
men. who brave the severest Arctic
winter In search of game. At night
he was shot at for q wolf-by mistake.
for no hunter would Willingly have
harmed him-yet he always escaped
injury, and came to be looked upon
by the natives with touch OF super
stition as mysteriouE wandering
spirit, perhaps dog Of the Nunatak
people-the ghost folk of the winter
night.
So the winter passed, the sun came
again, and finally swung the horizon ii