BREAKING IN SLED-DOGS 161 



power of man, and to stand back at a respectful 

 distance and in due humility. 



Regarding dog punishment, I have only once 

 witnessed a squaw severely deal with one of 

 those provoking animals. Her men-folk were 

 away hunting, and her peculiar method was to 

 tie the culprit to an alder bush and belabour 

 him mercilessly with a heavy pole until one 

 thought that if she did not cease speedily the dog 

 would be beaten to death. He had stolen some- 

 thing, poor hungry, wolf-natured brute and he 

 would steal next hour, I wager, if the chance 

 arose, licking or no only with a little more 

 caution, a little added resolve that his cunning 

 would outwit his masters. 



At freeze-up I have seen young dogs that have 

 never before been caught and harnessed prove 

 so savage when handled that they could not be 

 put in the traces until stunned with a blow on 

 the head. For two or three days such dogs are 

 unmanageable, but in the end they become 

 tractable and often prove splendid, hard-working, 

 high-spirited beasts of burden. 



You will have gathered from these remarks 

 that the sled-dog is for ever in the foreground 

 at the Far North fur Posts numerous beyond 

 all other things and that is true of them. 



I will deal in detail with the foods on which 

 sled-dogs are fed, and then take you to the sled 

 and the snowfield ; that which is their purpose of 

 existence, and where their endurance and courage 

 overcome the bleakest wastes in all God's Universe. 

 What food the natives subsist on is also the 

 food of their dogs. The year round the native 



