THE DOG 



59 



In the ranks of the use- 

 ful dogs we must place 

 the draft dog, though it 

 is more than doubtful 

 whether the structure of 

 this animal is fitted to 

 draw vehicles. It is cer- 

 tain, however, that they 

 render incalculable serv- 

 ices by drawing the 

 sledges of the inhabitants 

 of northern regions and 

 those of explorers who 

 travel to the Pole. M. 

 Fridtjof Nansen wrote to 

 us recently as follows : 



"The dogs of the Eski- 

 mos and those of Siberia 

 can easily do ninety miles 

 a day. In fine weather 

 they will run without stop- 

 ping for four or five hours, 

 and each dog can draw a 



weight of three hundred and twenty-five pounds. 

 The sledge dog, or 'narta,' is relatively light, but 

 vigorous. The runners of the sledge, over which 

 water is poured from time to time, forming a 

 smooth coat of ice half an inch thick, glide with 

 rapidit}' over the snow. None but male dogs at 

 least three years old are used for this purpose. 



St. Bi;RX,\Rr) 

 Special photo from the convent 



For the leading couple the best dogs are chosen ; 

 these are followed by si.x other couple, guided 

 by means of a stick five feet long and bv the 

 \'oice of their driver. The life of travelers, 

 also the conveyance of the post throughout 

 northern Siberia, depend entirely on these 

 dogs. Consequently they are carefully treated 



A Si'LENDHj Lot of St. Bernards 



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