32 BtlLT.KTIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Scotch islands, or the Faeroes, where sheep raising and fisbing are the main industries. 

 But, of course, if an experiment is to be made, it must not be undertaken with slieei) 

 from California or some other country with a climate differing widely from that of 

 the islands. It is imperatively necessary that a race like tlie Scotch black-face be 

 employed; otherwise, the experiment would be sure to be a failure; but with proper 

 precautions, and under tlie guidance of experienced men, I I'eel convinced that sheej)- 

 raising would be the proper solution of the food questujn in the Aleutian Islands. 



On Bering Island the sledge dogs would be an insurmountable obstacle to the 

 introduction of sheep. As a matter of fact, however, tlie dogs are now of but little 

 use, and should be exterminated — the sooner the better. The increasing uund^er of 

 boats have made the dogs superfluous along the (-oasts and for inland transportation, 

 particularly from the main village, Nikolski, to the North Kookery. The introduction of 

 a few Kamchatkan ponies would do the work nmch more satisfactorily, as proven by 

 the success of the mules on the Pribylof Islands. In the fall of 1882 a couple of horses 

 were brought over from I'etropaulski, let loose, and allowed to take care of themselves 

 during the entire winter, which was a rather severe one. The winter gales swept the 

 level places nearly bare of snow and the horses found more than plentiful food in the 

 dry grass thus exposed. So far from suffering hunger, the hoises in spring were found 

 to be slick and well fed; in fact, in better condition than when they arrived on the 

 island. They were afterwards sold to a native, but died later, a circumstance 

 undoubtedly due to the ignorance or lack of care of the owner. 



The sledge dogs are still one of the most interesting features of Bering Island. 

 There must be at least COO dogs in Nikolski, but while formerly they were allowed to 

 run loose, and afterwards kept chained outside of tlie owner's house, Mr. Grebnitski 

 has of late years banished all the dog-pens to the sand hills back of the village, much 

 to the improvement of good order and comfort in the village. Ea(!h dog has a hole 

 in the ground large enough for him to lie down in while chained to a stout pole near 

 by. Here they pass their days howling or sleeping, when not out traveliTig. For 

 traveling a number of them, mostly 11 or 13, are hitched in pairs to a low sledge. A 

 trained leader is tied on in front. This is an intelligent and valuable animal, and is 

 guided entirely by the driver's voice. In winter, on the snow, such a team will haul 

 a load weighing ■400 pouiuls, and I have traveled 40 miles in a day, though without 

 any baggage worth mentioning. But they are also used in summer on the bare 

 ground. Of course, the rocky places are avoided as much as ])0ssib]e, and the summer 

 tracks are preferably located over the marshes and in the low places. On fre(iuented 

 routes, as between Nikolski and North Rookery, or Saranna, the constant travel has 

 worn deep ruts in the ground — in some places 2 to 3 feet deep. These ruts being veri- 

 table ditches, drain the surroundings, and are, therefore, usually in a very slippery 

 condition, to which the droppings of the dogs add materially, making it fast if not 

 pleasant traveling. Some of these routes are shown by dotted lines on the map of 

 Bering Island (plate 4). 



Most of the dogs difler greatly from the Kamchatkan dogs, belonging, in fact, to 

 an entirely different race. They have large, hanging ears, and were originally brought 

 to the island from Okhotsk. Of late years teams of Kamchatkan dogs, which have 

 erect, jiointed ears, and are very mu(;h like the ordinary ICskimo dogs, have been 

 imported, as the original hang-eared dogs were degenerating from inbreeding, and 

 now mongrels of all possible shades and with ears of all possible shapes are common 



