THE PACIFIC'OCEAN. 203 



wood, ftrongly bound together with wicker work ; which '7'9- 



in thofe belonging to the better fort of people is elegantly < „ » 



ftainedof a red and blue colour, and the feat covered withbear- 

 fkins, or other furs. It is fupported by four legs, about two 

 feet high, which reft on two long flat pieces of wood, five or 

 fix inches broad, extending a foot at each end beyond the 

 body of the fledge. Thcfe arc turned up before in the man- 

 ner of a fkate, and fliod with the bone of fomc fea animal. 

 The fore-part of the carriage is ornamented with thongs of 

 leather and taffels of coloured cloth ; and from the crofs 

 bar, to which the harnefs is joined, are hung links of iron, 

 or fmall bells, the jingling of which they conceive to be en- 

 couraging to the dogs. They are feldom ufed to carry more 

 than one perfon at a time, who fits afide, refting his feet on 

 the lower part of the fledge, and carrying his provifions and 

 other necefTaries, wrapped up in a bundle, behind him. The 

 dogs are ufually five in number, yoked two and two, with 

 a leader. The reins not being fattened to the head of the 

 dogs, but to the collar, have little power over them, and are 

 therefore generally hung upon the iledge, whilll the driver 

 depends entirely on their obedience to his voice for the 

 direction of them. With this view, the leader is always 

 trained up with a particular degree of care and attention ; 

 fome of them rifing to a mod extraordinary value on account 

 of their docility and fteadinefs ; infomuch, that for one of 

 thefe,I am well affured, forty roubles (or ten pounds) was no 

 unufual price. The driver is alfo provided with a crooked 

 ftick, which anfwers the purpofe both of whip and reins-; 

 as by ftriking it into the fnow, he is enabled to moderate the 

 fpeed of the dogs, or even to flop them entirely ; and when 

 they are lazy, or otherwife inattentive to his voice, he chaf- 

 tifes them by throwing it at them. Upon thefc occafions, 

 their dexterity in picking it up again is very remarkable, 



D d 2 and 



