MY DOG-TEAMS. 105 



are, and how hard it is to get the mastery of them ; 

 but once mastered, hke a spirited horse^ they are obe- 

 dient enough ; but also, Hke that noble animal, they 

 require now and then to have a very positive reminder 

 us to whom the obedience is owing. 



Wishing to try my hand, I set out to take a turn 

 round the harbor. The wind was blowing at my back, 

 and when I had gone far enough, and wanted to wheel 

 round and return, the dogs were not so minded. 

 There is nothing they dislike so much as to face the 

 wind ; and, feeling very fresh, they were evidently 

 ready for some sport. Moreover, they may, perhaps, 

 have wanted to see what manner of man this new 

 driver was. They were very familiar with him per- 

 sonally, for he had petted them often enough ; })ut 

 they had not before felt the strength of his arm. 



After much difficulty I brought them at last up to 

 the course, but I could keep them there only by con- 

 stant use of the lash ; and since this was three times 

 out of four blown back into my face, it was evident 

 that I could not long hold out ; besides, my face was 

 freezing in the wind. My arm, not used to such vio- 

 lent exercise, soon fell almost paralyzed, and the whip- 

 lash trailed behind me on the snow. The dogs were 

 not slow to discover that something was wrong. They 

 looked back over their shoulders inquiringly, and, dis- 

 covering that the lash was not coming, they ventured 

 to diverge gently to the right. Finding the effort 

 not resisted, they gained courage and increased their 

 speed ; and at length they wheeled short round, 

 turned their tails to the wind, and dashed off on their 

 own course, as happy as a parcel of boys freed from 

 the restraints of the school-room, and with the wild 

 rush of a dozen wolves. And how they danced along 



