The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-01-24
IN SIBERIAN WASTES
DESOLATE AND BLEAK COUNTRY
OF THE NORTH.
Valuable Ivory Still Yielded From Ami.
mails That Lived Centuries Ago
Reindeer and Dogs Used as
Beasts Of Burden.

IBERIA furnishes a large quantity of
ivory to the markets of the world,
but the production of 1t belongs to an
other age and to a species of animals
that does not now exist.
The ivory is cut from the tusks of
mammoths whose skeletons are found
frozen in masses Of ice or buried in
mud of Arctic rivers and swamps.
Even to wild animals these boys
are forbidden ground. The nimble
reindeer can sometimes cross them
safely in the summer, but most other
large animals would be engulfed. With
the summer thaw that penetrates
more deeply than usual into the
ground some Of these antediluvian
monsters are always exposed.
1t is to recover these valuable fos-
sill tusks, also to hunt and trap the
f%ur-bearing animals and transport the
pelts Of the sable, ermine and sea Of
ter back to civilization that forms a
ian natives. According to the Rail-
road Mans Magazine. they make the
most perilous freighting Journeys in
the world, beset by all sorts of hard
ships.
The people are divided into two
classes, the reindeer breeder and the
dog-breeding tribes. The former live
entirely on the products Of their rein
deer herds. Some OF the reindeer
tribes use their animals for riding
and sledge driving only and moi for
food purpose. The Yakuts, one of the
largest and most progressive tribes,
use their deer entirely for ~transporta-
ton purposes.
Two large animals are always used
to a freight sledge. These carry mer-
chandise, mail and furs all owe the
northern part Of the province of va
t kutsk. Their reindeer are Of great
: size, larger than those possessed by
/ the other reindeer people.
If we'll pastured and not overwork.
ed a trained pair Of harnessed rein
deer can make so to rs miles a day
? provided that the snow Is thin and
: hard on the tundra. When tired the
Y deer must be Immediately rested. II
{ compelled to travel further they be
come exhausted and often drop dead
The team dogs serve till 10 or Il
years old. After the sixth or seventh
year they begin to decline. The dogs
q are harnessed in pairs to a strong sea
a thong, which serves the place Of
w~ifletree. A full team consists of 81,
or seven pairs.
The course is directed by specia
call words. These are understood b,
the leading dog. which is trained es
, pecially for that purpose. The har
ness consists Of a breastpiece AM
D. two or three bands across the back
v, The dogs pull on the traces somewha
II obliquely, 80 as to leave sufiicien
,r room between them to avoid ~jostline
N Even when a young or badly traine
dog is matched to an old n the eide
lie will actually prevent its companio
from causing trouble. biting it severe
I'd " every time 1t tries to leap acros
the strap.
Shy or disobedient dogs are place
in nearer to the sledge. where they ca
in be reached by the whip. At the rea
at more exertion is required. since tn
sledge, on every undulation Of tn
ground. pulls backward. Strong an
mails somewhat slow from age or frol
lack Of mettle are usually placed
OF the rear and those hat are more bris
Us in the front.
With a light sledge and good dogs Il
miles can be travelled in "a hours. Tw
ny hundred miles have been made in tw
III days, The dogs are fed once a da
he usually in the evening. A piece
rs, blubber about two inches square ar
be some shreds of walrus meat, dried
frozen fish, form the daily ration
every dog.
A good team of IL dogs can ha
nc. from 400 to 600 pounds. One of Il
les long sledge journeys made by the l
are land reindeer people is over 500 mile
no. In March and April, when they NAL
up a trading caravan Of reindeer ski
~ for boots and clothing, ETC.. viii
;on they take to East Cape on the Paci'
~. to barter to Americans and whalers