120 THE LEADER OF THE PACK. 



are afraid to turn against him, for when they do so 

 there is no end to the chastisements which they re- 

 ceive. Now Oosisoak (for that is his name) has a 

 rival, a huge, burly fellow with black uniform and 

 white collar. This dog is called Karsuk, which ex- 

 presses the complexion of his coat. He is larger than 

 Oosisoak, but not so active nor so intellio-ent. Occa- 

 sionally he has a set-to with his master ; but he always 

 comes off second best, and his unfortunate followers 

 are afterwards flogged in detail by the merciless red- 

 coat. The place of Oosisoak, when harnessed to the 

 sledge, is on the left of the line, and that of Karsuk 

 on the right. 



There is another powerful animal which we call 

 Erebus, who governs Sonntag's team as Oosisoak gov- 

 erns mine, and he can whip Karsuk, but he never has 

 a bout with my leader except at his peril and that of 

 his followers. And thus they go along, fighting to 

 preserve the peace, and chawing each other up to 

 maintain the balance of power ; and this is all to my 

 advantage ; for if the present relations of things were 

 disturbed, my community of dogs would be in a state 

 of anarchy. Oosisoak would go into exile, and would 

 die of laziness and a broken heart, and great and 

 bloody would be the feuds between the rival interests, 

 led by Karsuk and Erebus, before it was decided 

 which is the better team. 



Oosisoak has other traits befitting greatness. He 

 has sentiment. He has chosen one to share the glory 

 of his reign, to console his sorrows, and to lick his 

 wounds when fresh from the bloodv field. Oosisoak 

 has a queen ; and this object of his affection, this idol 

 of his heart, is never absent from his side. She runs 

 beside him in the team, and she fights for him harder 



