DOG. 
169 
tures with the blood and garbage. The natives are 
highly indebted to their dogs, which serve them in 
the place of horses. They are fastened by the 
Greenlanders to their sledges, who are thus en- 
abled to pay their visits in savage state, and to 
bring home the animals they have killed ; some- 
times loading their carriage with five or six large 
seals ; and even with this weight in addition to their 
master, will the indefatigable creatures travel over 
the ice sixty miles in a day. The sledges, says an 
intelligent writer, are usually drawn by five dogs, 
four of them yoked two and two abreast ; the fore- 
most acts as a leader to the rest. The reins being 
fastened to a collar round the leading dog’s neck, 
are of little use in directing the pack ; the driver 
depending chiefly upon their obedience to his voice, 
with which he animates them to proceed. Great 
care and attention are consequently used in training 
up those for leaders, which are valued according 
to their steadiness and docility; the sum of forty 
rubles, or ten pounds, being no unusual price for 
one of them. The rider has a crooked stick, an- 
swering the purpose both of whip and reins ; with 
which, by striking on the snow, he regulates the 
speed of the dogs, or stops them at his pleasure. 
When they are inattentive to their duty, the cha- 
rioteer often chastises them, by throwing this stick 
at them. In picking it up again the Greenlander 
shows a great deal of dexterity : and, in truth, it is 
highly necessary that he should be expert in this 
most difficult part of his exercise ; for the moment 
