58 PLAN AND PREPARATIONS 



Peary's record on the splendidly even surface of the 

 Barrier. There must be some misunderstanding or 

 other at the bottom of the Englishmen's estimate of the 

 Eskimo dog's utility in the Polar regions. Can it be 

 that the dog has not understood his master? Or is it 

 the master who has not understood his dog? The right 

 footing must be established from the outset; the dog 

 must understand that he has to obey in everything, and 

 the master must know how to make himself respected. 

 If obedience is once established, I am convinced that 

 the dog will be superior to all other draught animals 

 over these long distances. 



Another very important reason for using the dog is 

 that this small creature can much more easily cross the 

 numerous slight snow-bridges that are not to be avoided 

 on the Barrier and on the glaciers. If a dog falls into a 

 crevasse there is no great harm done ; a tug at his harness 

 and he is out again; but it is another matter with a 

 pony. This comparatively large and heavy animal of 

 course falls through far more easily, and if this happens, 

 it is a long and stiff job to get the beast hauled up 

 again unless, indeed, the traces have broken and 

 the pony lies at the bottom of a crevasse 1,000 feet 

 deep. 



And then there is the obvious advantage that dog 

 can be fed on dog. One can reduce one's pack little by 

 little, slaughtering the feebler ones and feeding the 

 chosen with them. In this way they get fresh meat. 



