TUSKl DOGS. 43 



immense speed and endurance of fatigue ; but the 

 native dogs will outlive cold and hunger, which the 

 foreign breed would early succumb to, the feet of the 

 strangers being especially tender. 



We started from the ship on a splendid morning, 

 with the temperature at 20° below zero, nearly calm. 

 I had the honom* of conducting the really pretty wife 

 of Mahkatzan, who seated herself astride behind 

 me on the sledge ! while my companion was placed 

 with our worthy host. I was of course desirous of 

 acquitting myself creditably as a Jehu ; but the first 

 essay in dog-driving will scarcely be a successful one. 

 Reins there are none ; the animals are to be guided 

 almost entirely by the whip, particularly with 

 strangers, their masters alone having power by the 

 voice ; and herein great management and watchfulness 

 are necessary, and an unpractised hand will be quite 

 unable to run the dogs off a beaten track, or prevent 

 theii' retm-ning to theii- homes. Fortunately for my 

 escape from total discomfitiu-e, Mahkatzan led the way, 

 and our canine steeds were going homeward, so we 

 dashed along without any more than an occasional 

 overturn, my fair companion holding me in a 

 vigorous grasp in any such case of danger; consequently 

 a double effort of clinging to our sledge was of 

 course necessary on my part. After a rapid drive of 



