The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-05-28
Dogs in Free

Alaska, an Empire in the Making:
Fifty miles below Dawson, a hooting
whistle announced the approach Of
Forty Mile, a small settlement a few
miles from the boundary line that sep
arates Yukon territory from Alaska.
The whistle had an amazing effect
on the landscape. The banks of the
river seemed to CULVER with the move
ment of dogs. They came running
from every direction. What appeared
like clumps of brush and grass sud-
denly became animated streaks of dog
headed for the river bank.
There were every kind and descrip-
ton of canine-great huskies bred
from the Mackenzie river timber
wolves, malamutes, terriers, Great
Danes, mastiffs and all the different
grades of mongrel that this miscelIan-
eous collection could produce. The
multitude of animals seemed imbued
with but one desire-there was but one
thing worth living for; to reach the
river bank before the other, dogs.
Contrary to expectations, they did
not assemble at the point where the
~eangplank was laid for the passengers
10 disembark,. but huddled in a tail
wiggling mass at a point opposite the
gallel, where they gave every possible
manifestation of canine delight. They
squirmed n wiggled and parked with
pleasure. 1t was good to receive so
royal a welcome, even If offered by
dumb animals.
Two minutes later, the cook threw
ashore a barrel of scraps from the ia
BILE. Instantaneously the seventy or
eighty ravenous animals were trans
formed into a writhing, fighting, Bit
ing, snarling mass. Each tried to get
his share of the feast and as much as
it could grab of what, on a basis of
nnIIifU hnlnn Orn1 tn ntl1~1 49, Dy..A1t--n
hair and flashing teeth were every
where.
They rended and tore at each other
fighting tigers, one Great Dane
standing bravely in the center, while
malamutes and huskies darted at him
from all sides and snapped their teeth
his flesh. Occasionally he fought
back, clamping his strong jaws on his
1t was a battle royal.
Where there was flesh they bit at it
impartially, but the canine nearest the
food came in for the greatest number
Of attacks.
The malamutes are the quickest in
Time and again. they bounded
into he midst of the fray like a flash.
one rending. snap at the enemy
and regained the outskirts of the pack
before a counter-bite could be deliv-
cred. The Infatuated animals in the
fought with unbridled
against those who attacked them from
the outer lines, stopping once in a
while to inaugurate hostilities among
themselves. Arbitration between the
malignant belligerents was out of the
question. Amidst yelps of pain and
snarls Of rage, III and down, the battle
Naged. Meanwhile, the size of Che pile
If food gradually diminished. but not
Until the, last particle was consumed
we're hostiltties~ suspended. Then they
vent their various ways, some to lick
heir chops in the SNUG satisfaction
II an appetite appeased, and others to
lex the soreness from the wounds and
scars of battles
Apparently the logic of the Alaskan
log is that when there is nothing left
o fight for, there is no sense in fight
ng. When the spoils of war are no
in sight, peace is declared.
With variations the performance
vas repeated at nearly every stop
the river. The cooks on the yes
iels make a practice of saving table
craps until a town is reached and the
ry of Steamboat" or the blast Of a
is all hat is needed to start
dog within the radius of the
ound on a wild rush for the river
,ank.