Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
Clever Dogs for Byrd Expedition

before the race they made one trip over
the entire course, acquainting their dogs
with the trail and caching food at con-
venient points. Except for the telephone
strung at intervals of so miles, for keep
ing tab on the racers, the course was
left untouched. 1t was over glaciers,
mountains, frozen rivers, deep snow
the hardest stretch of country in Alas
ka. The racers could keep to the beaten
track If they wished but they were only
timed at Candle and Nome.
The record of the course was IA
hours, set by Jon johnson in 1910. Any
number of dogs could be used, but every
one of them had to be brought back to
the starting point, dead or alive. The
prize was $4,000 and a trophy cup, and
the betting on the race ran into hun
dreds Of thousands Of dollars.
In 1909 the race started from Nome
in bowling blizzard. The eight dogs
on Scotty Allan's team, with Kid and
Badly as leaders, were protected with
blankets and moccasins, but the storm
carried the threat by blowing the team
out to sea. AS Scotty left Nome, the
snow became so thick he could not see
his leaders. He had to leave the path
finding to his dogs.
At Solomon they caught up to two or
three other teams. waiting for the bliZ-
Yard to let up. But Scotty's dogs were
going strong despite the gale, and set
off for Candle again after short rest.
Some miles outside of Solomon they
waving his arms for them to stop He
seemed very much excited, and shouted
to Scotty that it was suicide to go on.
The man, who was called "One-Eye."
helped Scotty get the team into his
cabin But "One-Eye talked very
vaguely about the dangers" up ahead.
Scotty began to smell a rat, for the man
was one of the members of betting
ring back in Nome And when Scotty
decided to go on, blizzard or no blizzard
"One-Eye" protested vehemently, and
backed up against the door.
Scotty Allan took his whip in hand
and turned his team toward the door
open that door, One-Eye,' he said
'or I'll put out that other glim OF
yours!
But the man stood his ground, and
scotty grappled with him. Suddenly
One-Eye's" squaw opened the door
Scotty shouted ''MushI" and Kid and
Badly bolted for the open. Their master
upset his man into a corner and ran
out after them into the storm, which
was raging worse than ever
At creek which they were supposed
to cross they found hill OF 1ce-an
overflow--the worst kind of going
Badly and Kid faltered moment, and
then struck off at what seemed to
Scotty to be at right angles to the
course, heading straight into the teeth
of the wind. And they held to that
direction for miles. until the driver was
completely lost He could do nothing
but trust to canine instinct.
But eventually the team pulled up at
a wayside post The leaders had taken
a great croSs-country short cut entire
~ on their own hook, and had found
the course again In spite of the be-
wilderrent of the driver And with the
long start on the men who had waited
out the storm, Scotty Allan rode &c
easy victory from Candle back to Nome
All of Scotty's great leaders were half
breed settlers and malamuteS. The mala-
mute. or Eskimo dog Is a cross be-
tween the chow and the wolf. and Is
best equipped in fur and feet for the
Arctic trails. When combined With the
intelligence and loyalty of the setter no
better racing dog may be found in the
north. He is courageous to the core. and
will give up his life. If need be, in the
service of his master