HARNESSING THE DOGS. 147 



are pared and the bottoms planed smooth. From the forward 

 end of the bone a small portion of each runner is trimmed down 

 thin almost to the board, and to this a piece of hoop iron is fas- 

 tened which is brought around over the point of the bar and cut off 

 close to the first crossbar; it is then pegged, through holes, or 

 screwed down. This part of the bar never touches the ground, 

 being curved slightly upward ; then with a hole through each side bar 

 at the end, like our sleds, through which to pass a rope if needed, 

 and with a plentiful supply of paint, our komatik is complete. 



A komatik is drawn by harnessed dogs, and it is a strange sight 

 to see one of these hobgoblin, arctic turnouts travelling at a smart 

 pace over the ice and snow of the frozen bays from place to place, 

 and watch the eight, seven, to even three or two dogs, attached to 

 the sled by a long thin thong only, trotting or galloping along 

 many rods in front. You would hardly believe, at first sight, that 

 the two belonged together, but rather that some fairy means of con- 

 veyance had suddenly dropped from above, or appeared from an un- 

 seen corner below, and was travelling off on some mysterious Arabian 

 Night's adventure ; and truly, the snow-capped hills, the icy and snowy 

 plain of frozen sea, add to this not unpleasant romantic delusion. 

 A close inspection will show that each dog is encased with a thin, 

 narrow band harness that simply goes around the body at the belly, 

 with another piece going around the neck and around and between 

 the legs, which is fastened to the former beneath ; on the top of each 

 a long band reaching to the length of several rods follows on be- 

 hind with a loop at the very end. Each dog is thus harnessed. 

 The komatik also has a band fastened near the front crossbar by holes 

 in the runner, and buttoned together with a loop and an angular 

 button. The loop on the end of each long dog band is passed 

 over the button of this komatik band, the button fastened in the slit, 

 and the team is ready. One dog is always fastened some distance in 

 front of the others and is styled the leader ; the others are fastened 

 at various distances apart, but always many rods in advance of the 

 sled. The team is guided usually by the voice, with or without a 

 whip of the Esquimaux make or pattern, many yards in length on 



