346 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Sept. 



this time a Russian named Trontheim had been commissioned 

 to obtain between 300 and 400 dogs for an American ex- 

 pedition, then about to start for Franz- Josef Land. It was 

 Trontheim who in 1891 had secured the dogs carried on 

 Nansen's famous voyage, and, as he was in all respects fitted 

 for collecting the animals, our agent added our modest re- 

 quirement of twenty to the number of his commission, on 

 condition that we, through our agent, should be allowed first 

 pick of the crowd collected. The particulars of Trontheim's 

 wanderings are not in my knowledge, but it is certain that 

 he must have travelled over a great portion of the country 

 inhabited by the Ostiak and Samoyede tribes of Northern 

 Russia to fulfil his contract. On his return to Archangel 

 Mr. Wilton selected twenty dogs and three bitches for our 

 expedition, and duly brought them to London, where they 

 were housed in the Zoo until such time as we could make 

 arrangements for their transport to New Zealand and provide 

 for their care on the voyage. I really do not think I ever had 

 an opportunity of thoroughly examining the dogs until we 

 came to rest in our winter quarters, but then, of course, one 

 not only saw them, but rapidly grew to know their individual 

 characteristics. 



Notwithstanding the care with which they had been brought 

 together, though the majority were fine, strong dogs, there was 

 a distinct tail to our team, and several young dogs which had 

 evidently never been in harness before. One of the most 

 noticeable points about the team was the difference of breed. 

 There were three distinct types, besides many modifications 

 of these types. The first was a big, strong-limbed dog of 

 nondescript colour, with a very thick but comparatively short 

 coat; these animals formed the best pulling element in the 

 team. Next came a short-legged, thick-set dog, with a long, 

 shaggy coat, and black-and-white in colour ; it was one of 

 these who kept up the traditions of his race by pulling to the 

 last gasp. The third type was in form and colour so near to 

 the grey wolf that one felt confident that his blood relationship 

 was extremely close. These dogs were by far the most 



