Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

~ Upper Flag Island inl Casco bay,
~ on the Maine coast. and just across
a half-mile stretch of water from
Eagle Island. the home Of Rear Admiral
Peary, live four full-grown Eskimo dogs
all that remain in this country of the
246 he took with him on his successful.
dash to the north pole.
Upper Flag is one of the barren
est of the 365 islands in the bay-in truth.
there is not much on that little spot in
the island world but grass and rocks. so
the dogs reign supreme, living a life Of
comparative ease-no heavy sledses to
pull. no going without food for days, or
half rations, but now fed abundantiy
and daily by the admiraIs boatman. Yet
were they able to talk-to a human-they
might possibly tell of a deep-down ham
kering for their home in the frozen north
that they will probably never again see.
They roam about the island and have
absolutely no shelter provided for them,
which is accounted for, however. by the
fact that they wouldn't use 1t If it were
there, preferring to sleep in the open.
winter or summer Even in cool Maine
they appear to suffer nightly from the
heat In the arctic region dogs are rare
"
pet may be taken into the igloo for a
time, or a mother with her litter of pup
pies. but not often. and even the young
sters scarcely a month old stand the
cold quite as well as do the older ones.
Summer visitors around Casco bay sail
close to the shore of Upper Flag in order
to get a glimpse Of them, and the dogs
on hearing the chug-chug of the motor
or the voices on board will come down
to the water line and wade out for some
distance. They look bit formidable,
it is true, with the result that few Wis
itors go on shore, believing there may be
a hostile reception awaiting them. In
reality the dogs appear to appreciate
visit, and if they come to the decision
that you are a friend OF animals-and
they instinctively seem to know. too
soon make friends, this being especially
the case If refreshments-meat refresh
ments-are forthcoming.
OF the total number that he took from
Etah, Rear Admiral Peary brought back
over a score. but most of them have since
died, either from disease or just plain
Inconsistencies, until only these four, with
a few born on the island. remain, and
fathered, so to speak, by sturdy Male
gaksoah (meaning ''kingD, the only one
of them, according to the admiral. that
went all the way to the pole. Inc others
assisted in the earlier stages OF the Jour
ney, and naturally come In for their pro-
portionate share of glory just the same
Nalegaksoah is remarkably fine specl-
men Of dog, standing nearly three rect
high and weighing about 20 pounds
he 9th Il 12nter
He surely is kinsly looking animal, SO
far as this term may be applied TO a
dog, but according to the explorer there
was a bit of a question regarding his SUI
periority at the outset of the voyage.
Nalegaksoah had not as yet definitely
demonstrated his claim as absolute leader,
and in his ramblinss about their quar-
tiers on the Roosevelt was nipped good
other dogs. who in this way advanced a
quiet hint that they had put in bid a.
boss"
On these occasions Nalegaksoah would
simply turn around, utter a deep growl.
grab the pretender to the throne by the
neck-a few effective shakes, or possibly
a roll about the deck. and he would
then leave his adversary TO think the
matter over. 1t wasn't very long pefore
he made it clearly felt he was the leader
and during the remainder OF the trip
his authority was unquestioned by the
pack. =
There is only one thoroughbred Eskimo
dog. but they are all variously marked
and Of different colors-gray, white, yell
low, brown, black and mottled. Male
gaksoah is a dark brown, almost black,
with a tinge of silver; one of the. others
of this particular quartet is dirty
gray, and the remaining two are silver
coated, almost white. Their special char
acteristics are a pointed muZzle with CON
siderable breadth between the eyes Rnd
sbarp-pointed ears. The tail is bushy. the
legs powerful and heavy muscled, while
the coat is extremely heavy, and under