KAMCHATKA. 



259 



DOGS FISHING. 



sledge, and will drag with ease three full-grown persons, and sixty pounds' 

 weight of luggage. When lightly laden, such a sledge will travel from 30 to 

 40 versts in a day over bad roads and through the deep snow ; on even roads, 

 from 80 to 140. The horse can never be used for sledging, on account of the 

 deep snow, into which it would sink, and of the numerous rivers and sources, 

 which are either never frozen, or merely covered with a thin sheet of ice, un- 

 able to bear the weight of so large an animal. 



DOG-TEAM. 



Travelling with dogs is, however, both dangerous and difficult. Instead of 

 the whip, the Kamchatkans use a crooked stick with iron rings, which, by 

 their jingling, give the leader of the team the necessary signals. When the 

 dogs do not sufficiently exert themselves, the stick is cast among them to rouse 

 them to greater speed ; but then the traveller must be dexterous enough to 



