TRAINING THE DOGS. 
109 
ber for Arctic field-work; but I deem, it important to 
our movements during the winter and spring, that the 
depots in advance should be made before the darkness 
sets in. I purpose arranging three of them at in¬ 
tervals,—pushing them as far fonvard as I can,—to 
contain in all some twelve hundred pounds of pro¬ 
vision, of which eight hundred will be pemmican.” 
My plans of future search were directly dependent 
upon the success of these operations of the fall. With 
a chain of provision-depots along the coast of Green¬ 
land, I could readily extend my travel by dogs. These 
noble animals formed the basis of my future plans: 
the only drawback to their efficiency as a means of 
travel was their inability to carry the heavy loads 
of provender essential for their support. A badly-fed 
or heavily-loaded dog is useless for a long journey; 
but -with relays of provisions I could start empty, and 
fill up at our final station. 
My dogs were both Esquimaux and Newfoundland¬ 
ers. Of these last I had ten: they were to be care¬ 
fully broken, to travel by voice without the whip, and 
were expected to be very useful for heavy draught, as 
their tractability would allow the driver to regulate 
their pace. I was already training them in a light 
sledge, to drive, unlike the Esquimaux, two abreast, 
with a regular harness, a breast-collar of flat leather, 
and a pair of traces. Six of them made a powerful 
travelling-team; and four could carry me and my in¬ 
struments, for short journeys around the brig, with 
great ease. 
