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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 2, Issue 37, 23 May 1850, Page 4

Utility and Sagacity of Siberian Dogs. —Of all the animals that live in the high north latitudes, none are so deserving of being noticed as the dog. The companion of man in all climates, from the islands of the South Seas, where he feeds on bananas, to the Polar Sea, where his food is fish, he here plays a part to which he is unaccustomed in more favoured regions. Necessity has tnuglit the inhabitants of the northern countries to employ those comparatively weak animals in draught. On all the coast of the Polar Sea, from the Obi to Beliring's Straits, in Greenland, Kamtschatka and in the Kurile Island?, the dogs are nindcto drawsledgeß losdcd with persona and with goods, for considerable journeys. The dogs have much resemblance 10 the wolf. They huve long, pointed, projecting noses, sharp and upright ears, and a long busily tail j some havo smooth, and some have curly hair; their colour is various • —black brown, reddish brown, white and spotted. They vary also in size ; but it is considered that a good sledge dug should not he less than two feel seven and a half inches in height, and three feet three (|iiarters of an in length, (English measure). Their barking is like the howling of a wolf. Tliey pass their whole life in ilie open air; in summer they dig holes in thu ground lor coolness,

or lie in dig water to avoid the musquitos ; in winter they protect themselves by burrowing in U\e snow, and lie curled up with their noses covered up by their bushy tails. The female puppies are drowned, except enough to preserve the breed, the mules alone being iued in draught. Those born in winter enter on their trainings the following autumn, but not used in long journeys until the third year. The feeding and training is a particular art, and mucß' skill is required in driving and guiding them. The best trained dogs are used as leaders ; and as the quick and steady going of the team, usually of twelve dog«, and the s il'ety of the traveller, depends on the sagacity and docility of the leader, no pains are spared in their education, so tluit they may always obey their master's voice, and not be tempted from their course when they come on the scent of game. This last is a point of groat difficulty ; sometimes the whole team, in such cases will start oil', and no endeavours on the part of the driver can stop them. On such occasions we have sometimes had to admire the cleverness with which the well trained leader endeavours to turn the other dogs from their pursuit; if other devices fail he will suddenly wheel round, and by barking, as if lie had come on a new scent, try to induce the other dogs to follow him, If travelling across the wide tundra in dark nights, or when the vast piain is veiled in impenetrable mist, or in storms or snow tempests, when the traveller is in danger of missing the powarna, be will [frequently owe his safety to a good leader; if the animul lias ever been in this plain, nnd [has stopped with his master at the powarna, lie will be sure to bring the sledge to the place where the hut lies deeply buried in the snow : when arrived at it he will suddenly stop, and indicate significantly the spot where his master must dig.