340 ALL ABOUT DOGS 



be it remembered the only one, in these inclement parts 

 of the world,) the traces of one-third of the dogs 

 form an angle of thirty or forty degrees on each side 

 of the direction in which the sledge is advancing. 



" Another great inconvenience attending the Esqui- 

 maux method of putting dogs to, besides that of not 

 employing their strength to the best advantage, is the 

 constant entanglement of the traces by the dogs re- 

 peatedly doubling under from side to side to avoid the 

 whip, so that, after running a few miles, the traces al- 

 ways require to be taken off and cleared. 



" In directing the sledge, the whip plays no very es- 

 sential part, the driver for this purpose using certain 

 words, as the carters do with us, to make the dogs turn 

 more to the right or left. To these, a good leader at- 

 tends with admirable precision, especially if his own 

 name be repeated, at the same time looking behind over 

 his shoulder with great earnestness, as if listening to 

 the directions of the driver. 



" On a beaten track, or where even a single foot, or 

 sledge mark is visible, or occasionally discernible, there 

 is not the slightest trouble in guiding the dogs; for 

 even in the darkest night, and in the heaviest snow 

 drifts, there is little or no danger of them losing their 

 road, the leader keeping his nose near the ground, and 

 directing the rest with wonderful sagacity. 



" Where, however, there is no beaten track, the best 

 driver amongst them, makes a terribly circuitous 

 course, as all the Esquimaux roads plainly show; these 

 generally occupying an extent of six miles, when with 



