Year: 1870

/ Al AxW0k8s


MY team comprised three dogs. The


leader was fine black dog named Ikkec.


who had magnificent bushy tail, which


was always erect and curly. The next enc


was black and white, and called Sawaska.


hard worker and Of amiable disposition.


Next the sled was old Kamuk, my favorite
and the ugliest dog in the brigade. His
tail, poorly furnished with hair, was usu-
ally between his legs his ears were short
and scored with the marks of many bat.
ties. His face was stolid and exhibited
emotion only when feeding time came, or
when some other dog ventured too near or
Jagged behind. His body was large, and
his legs like pillars; his color was white,
with dirty spots. Altogether he locked q
good deal like lean pig. But how he
would pull /!


A description can give but faint idea
of dog driving. 1t is an art in itself The
nature of dogs is cross grained, and they
frequently do the wrong thing with appar-
emily the best intentions. Each has Pc
culiar look and character. Some are ire
claimably lazy, others enjoy hard work un-
less pushed too far; some are greedy and
snappislh, others good humored and decor
us. All are very practical, showing af-
fection only for the man who feeds them,
and for him only as long as he.feeds them.
Hence the voyager should always feed his
own team himself. They dislike the whip
not only when in use, but in the abstract.
They will always destroy enc if they can
get at it. The whip is made with short
handle, a very long lash, braided of leath-
er or sealskin, and usually loaded with
sheet lead or bullets in the core.


As we walk behind the sled, which ordi-
narily travels about four miles an hour,we
have an excellent opportunity of studying
dogs. One habit appears to be ingrained
in their nature. 1t exhibits itself at street
corners in cities, and at every bush, stump
lump of ice they pass on the road. When
travelling rapidly ,some dog will stop twen-
ty times an hour to examine any bush or
twig which attracts his attention. If
leader, it checks the whole team if not,
he usually entangles himself in the har-
ness, and jumps frantically to release him
self as he hears the we'll known crack of
the whip about his ears. If a log comes
in the way, and the driver is not ready
with his help in urging the sled over it,
down they all drop on their launches,
wagging their tails, and looking about
with pleased expression, or uttering
sentimental howl. With a crack of the
whip, and a shout for Kamuk to stir him
self, their reveries are broken, and we go
on. Going down hill the whip and lungs
are again called into requisition, to keep
the dogs cut of the way of the descending
sled.


1t is said that no man can drive dogs
without swearing. think it is in mea-
sure true. At all events he must have
ready store of energetic expeletives to keep
them on the qui rire. In Russian Ameri-
ca we always used the indignant epithets,
which, as we did not understand them,
were hardly sinful. If there is a tree near
the trail, the dogs invariably try to pass it
on different sides, until checked by their
harness they constantly exhibit such idi-
osyncrasies, and it was lucky for Job that
he was not set to dog driving; if he had
been, l fear that his posthumous reputat'n
woull have been lost.


At noon we stop for cup of tea. Tea
over, you empty your chynik, and set it in
the snow a moment to cool, that you may
not burn your sled cover. Having re-
placed it, and seen that the dogs are un-
tangled, you shest to Kamuk, "be of, you
old sinner ~ Down goes his tail, and of
you go.-DaNs Alaska.