150 VIKINGS OF TO-DAY 



could hardly crawl as far as the cupboard for food ; 

 and they both stood in great danger of being starved, 

 though food was in the house. In this extremity 

 the woman, who could write, scribbled on a piece 

 of paper, "Come over quickly," and tied it round 

 one of the dog's necks. The dog carried it to the 

 nearest neighbour, a distance of ten miles over the 

 ice, and eventually returned with help. Possibly as 

 the old couple could no longer get about to give the 

 dogs food, that might account for its setting off for 

 another house. 



In the water the Eskimo dog is quite at home. I 

 have known them swim home from a desert island 

 a good mile from land, and have watched them 

 playfully chasing one another's tails as they swam 

 about in that cold water. 



Fighting, however, is their chief diversion. Each 

 team always has its king, who maintains his posi- 

 tion solely by his might. I have watched from a boat 

 a pack banished to an island in summer to keep them 

 out of mischief. As we rowed round, a fine young 

 dog, with the only female close alongside, moved by 

 curiosity followed us out to the end of every little 

 promontory, but the rest all maintained a respectful 

 distance behind. Next week, when we passed again, 

 we found he had been deposed, and then woe betide 

 him for some time. The entire pack seem to com- 

 bine to pay off their pent-up grudges against him, 

 and at times he is so harried he takes to the water. 

 I have watched a late leader standing up to his 



