Tundra times., 1963-08-05
By Howard Rock Times Editor

so l gave up and let him lead the team his own way" recalled Ke- shorna. my mother She had just lived through a treacherous ordeal of driving a dog team in one of the Arctic's most severe blizzards It happened many years ago near the cliffs of Cape Thompson in North western Alaska. Her statement was regarding Spot" the leader of our dog team.
 Spot was a dog of questionable origin. My brother. Eebrulik, had taken him as gift from his friends st Kotzebue, while the dog was still pup. The novelty of seeing puppy that didn't look like husky must have caught Eebrulik's eye. Strange Looking Dog
 When Spot became full grown, he was far cry from looking like a husky or a malemute. He had short but powerful legs and thick. long body. He was mostly white with patches of black on his body He was named, Spot" on account of that. He also parked where husk- les and malemutes sing-songed when excited.
 Spot did have something of husky face. It was black with white patches over his eyes. But his re- semblance to a husky ended there. He had large black ears that flop ped down on each side of his head, l In spite of his physical makeup, Spot was a formidable dog. He was powerful. Big malemutes came to know better than to pick a fight with him. He was intelligent with out being too friendly. This became apparent early in his life and he was destined to be leader.
 Short legs? That was no problem dor Spot. It was amazing to see him perform as leader. While the team was at full gallop Spot would trot, his short legs moving so fast that they were almost a blur of motion There was never a slack on his trace. :. Fate Sealed
 Spots fate was sealed as soon as he came to our family He was hat ed by most all the dogs in our team. This peculiar hatred existed all through his life. If it hadn't been tor us. he would have perished even as puppy. As full grown dog. he was more than equal to any dog, He could give terrible pun ishment
 Other dogs in our team would | gang fight him every opportunity they got. He was always equal to the occasion by being powerful and Tightening fast. It was fortunate for us that we managed to stop these fights, because even he could not keep fighting against odds like that. Huskies or malemutes are vi- cious and destructive fighters. Civ en an inch, they can literally tear their opponent to pieces.
 Died Fighting
 Alas, Spot met his death while lighting off two huge malemutes that had gotten loose while the fa- fnily was attending church one Sum day. The intrepid leader could not hold out against the two while be- ing hampered with a chain snapped on his collar fastened to a whale jawbone stuck into the ground. Thus ended the life of great lead CT. He will not be forgotten as long as our family tree exists.
 Encampment
 In 1924, my parents, along with tny oldest sister, young brother, and baby sister, had gone to our trapping camp 22 miles south of Point Hope toward Cape Thompson to trap foxes. There my father had kept up small sod igloo where we stayed during fox hunting seasons had remained at Point Hope with Uncle Nayukuk and Aunt Muman- geena to go to school. The family had made tho trim 1yifb o Q.doo