ALASKAN DOGS ARRIVE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 February 1929, Page 8

ALASKAN DOGS ARRIVE

BOUND FOIL ANTARCTIC. 'Exprosing mutely through their eyes a longing to In; c (11 ib of all sc.*;i voyages ii’.nl railway travelling, ami an intense desire to lie* allowed again the opportunity of a scamper ashore lo Alaskan

“huskies” wore to he seen within the conlined space of a railway truck on the Sawyer’s May railway siding. The dogs reached Auckland hy the mail steamer Niagara on .January 28, from Vancouver. They were* then tram ferret! to the steamer Katoa and carriid as far as Lyttelton. On Tuesday they were placed in a railway truck and brought further south on the night goods train from Christchurch.

The truck remained only a short while at Sawyer’s May before being taken to Port C halmers where no time was lost in removing the dogs to one of the ferry steamers. ]oarlv yesterday afternoon they wore placed on Quarantine Island, the most tedious part of their long journey thus coming to an end. The dogs appeared to be quite contented in their new environment. the cool atmospheric conditions being much more to their taste. The animals will remain on the island until about February 10. when they will he placed on the Eleanor Moiling and conveyed to the Antarctic.

These Alaskan sledge dogs, on their way to the frozen wastes of the Antarctic as reinforcements for ihe dog teams that Commander Byrd has adready with him set out on their long voyage some weelcs ago. They were specially selected for their work l.»y Mr A. Tunes Taylor, an experienced dog driver, who adds to his accomplish ments that of being a skilled aviation pilot. These valuable (logs were bred on Grouse Mountain, near A ancouvev and the team is worth around £4OO. Mr Taylor who is also joining the expedition, has been with nis dogs all the time, and his job has bten iai from a sinecure. The varieties of climate through which it has been nporssarv to transport the dogs has boar the chief difficulty. In the Tropic? in spite of a special awning over their quarters, the heat was; almost mow than the dogs could stand. For some days they displayed few signs of Ido: they lay, panted, and drank. -Put they survived and recovered as the Niagara came more temperate regions. From now onwards the temperature will he getting nearer an.nearer that to which the huskies arc avcnsionmd. am) Air Taylor, who l a? had considerable exporieme with am iimls of t'm kind in the north of Canada. is quite optimistic abou' handing over his charges to Command or Bryd, if not in the pink of rondi t.ion, in such a state that- a few day? on the ice and snow will restore their to their former health and vigour. Feeding the dogs at- sea necessitated mm..]) careful thought, a diet consist iug chiefly oi rice and vegetables being found the- most suitable. Tin- dogs proved a centre of attrac-tion-during their him I stay at Auckland and also while the Katoa was at AVelilington. They obviously appreciated this break in the monotony ol their voyage, but could not underst-nit' why they were not allowed to go 'rec. There is no doubt whatever who is 11 charge of the company—lie knows il and lets-other dogs and visitors know it “he” being Skooku.m. a valuable Siwaeli Indian dog. who ancestry is picnic marked. This dog is two years and a-half old. and by virture of seniority should lead the pack, for the other 14 dogs are all younger. Mr Taylor brought with him 8001 b of dog foods. The daily meals consist ol corn meal and rice, and 2-1 per cent, oi meat and 2"> per cent, ol vegetables. Mr Taylor is very pleased that.all tlie-e specially trained dogs weathered tie vovage from Canada, and the trip down the coast, and arrived at Dunom in in such good condition. Although nul ,,y «>f them have wolf blood in ".heir veins, they are friendly animals. The huskies will have a- temporary home on Quarantine Island for over a week.