VARIETIES OF THE DOG. 57 



of the day. The driver therefore depends principally on the docility of 

 the leader, who, with admirable precision, quickens or slackens his pace, 

 and starts off or stops, or turns to the right or left, at the summons of his 

 master. When they are journeying homeward, or travelling to some spot 

 to \vhich the leader has been accustomed to go, he is generally suffered to 

 pursue his own course ; for, although every trace of the road is lost in the 

 drifting snow, he scents it out, and follows it with undeviating accuracy. 

 Even the leader, however, is not always under the control of his master. 

 If the journey lies homeward, he will go his own pace, and that is usually 

 at the top of his speed ; or, if any game starts, or he scents it at a distance, 

 no command of his driver will restrain him. Neither the dog nor his 

 master is half civilized or subdued." 



Each of these dogs will draw a weight of 120 Ib. over the snow, at the 

 rat e of seven or eight miles an hour. 



In summer, many of these dogs are used as beasts of burden, and each 

 carries from thirty to fifty pounds. They are then much better kept than 

 in the winter ; for they have the remains of the whale and sea-calf, 

 which their masters disdain to eat. The majority, however, are sent adrift 

 in the summer, and they live on the produce of the chace or of their 

 constant thievery. The exactness with which the summer being past 

 each returns to his master, is an admirable proof of sagacity, and frequently 

 of attachment. 



In some parts of Siberia, on the borders of the Oby, there are esta- 

 blished relays of dogs, like the post-horses in other countries. Four of 

 these are attached to a very light vehicle ; but, when much haste is re- 

 quired, or any very heavy goods are to be conveyed, more than treble or 

 quadruple that number are harnessed to the vehicle. M. de Lesseps a gives 

 an almost incredible account of this. He is speaking of the voracity of 

 these poor beasts, in the midst of the snowy desert, with little or no food. 

 " We had unharnessed our dogs, in order to bring them closer together, in 

 the ordinary way ; but, the moment they were brought up to the pole, 

 they seized their harness, constructed of the thickest and toughest leather, 

 and tore it to pieces, and devoured it. It was in vain that we attempted 

 every means of restraint. A great number of them escaped into the wilds 

 around, others wandered here and there, and seized everything that came 

 \vithin their reach, and which their teeth could destroy. Almost every 

 minute some one of them fell exhausted; and immediately became the 

 j rey of the others. Every one that could ge* within reach struggled for 

 Ms share. Every limb was disputed, and torn away by a troop of rivals, 

 who attacked all within their reach. As soon as one fell by exhaustion 

 <>r accident, he was seized by a dozen others, and destroyed in the space 

 of a few minutes. In order to defend ourselves from this crowd of 

 famished beasts we were compelled to have recourse to our bludgeons and 

 our swords. To this horrible scene of mutual destruction succeeded, on 

 the following day, the sad appearance of those that surrounded the sledge, 

 to which we had retreated for safety and for warmth. They were thin, 

 and starved, and miserable; they could scarcely move; their plaintive 

 and continual howlings seemed to claim our succour : but there was no 

 possibility of relieving them in the slightest degree, except that some of 

 them crept to the opening in our carriage through which the smoke 



Journal Historique du Voyage de M. de Lesseps. Paris, 1790. 2 vols. tome 1. 



