DOGS—SOUTH POLE BOUND

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

DOGS—SOUTH POLE BOUND

(By H.A.0.)

In these days following Commander Byrd's departure for the Bay of Whales on the first lap of his journey to the South pole, we are thinking of those three stalwart ships, theii passengers, and their precious cargo, as they sail toward treacherous seas and unknown lands. And on those ships are Commander Byrd's "motive power" for his expedition—the hundred sled-dogs, mostly Alaskan dogs with a nucleus "of highly trained huskies. These -clever dogs will be used to train the Eskimos into harness and will be the lead-dogs for the teams that will do the great work. The owner and trainer of these dogs, "the finest sled dogs known," as Commander Byrd calls them, is Arthur T. Walden. This is the man who has charge of all the dogs on the trip. He is a seasoned veteran dog driver, trained in the early days in Alaska, when dogs were the only means of communication, and dog drivers had to go day and night in all kinds of weather over dangerous country. He is not a large man, but he is rugged, wiry and tanned from much outdoor living. He has a ready smile and more than all else, a great love of dogs in his heart. But let me tell you about my first visit to see Mr. Walden and his wonderful dogs!

Tucked away behind Mount Chocorua in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, is Wonalancet, the home of Mr. Walden and his famous dogs. I was directed to the kennels to find my host, and as I entered, a huge dog came "toward me. The beautiful, great creature (strongly resembling a Newfoundland) was extremely dignified, but seemed to be friendly. He acted as if he owned the place and was ready to show his hospitality and escort me about. Later I learned he was quite correct in his attitude, for he was Chinook, most beloved by his master, and he was father, grandfather and great-grand-father of the great family of dogs. Not only did his descendants do him credit, but his ancestors before him came of noble lineage—his mother was Polaris, the Eskimo dog that led Peary's team on his expedition that discovered the North Pole, and his father was a German shepherd (who was rescued from a Massachusetts pound, I add in a whisper). Chinook- accepted my pat on his head graciously, as a king receives his just homage, and silenly and sedately led me toward the other dogs. The rest of the animals, with the exception of another favourite, a small Siberian lassie with keen eyes and quick movements, were either tied on long leashes or were in pens. Here was a litter of playful puppies—funny, ugly babies they were, but bright and alert, of staghound father and pure Eskimo mother. Other youngsters showed police strains, collie breeding, and other blood, but every one was half wolf. Down across a picturesque bridge over a little mountain brook we went, my quiet escort and I. Under the shade of trees beside the little stream were still more dogs. These were fullgrown dogs of massive build and muscular frame. Their leashes were attached to a ring, which slipped over a taut fifty-foot wire, thus giving them con-

siderable freedom while tied. How they leaped and barked and pulled at their leashes! I guessed that these twelve or fifteen dogs of about the same size and appearance probably composed a couple of teams. Other dogs of quieter mien wagged their tails as we came near or dozed lazily in the sunshine in front of their houses.

A terrible commotion from behind a building seemed to attract the attention of even the passive Chinook, and he seemed anxious to have me see what the fuss was about. We passed the dogs' cookhouse, where the scent of corn-meal mush and boiled meat reached our nostrils, and went into a rambling building. Out on an open porch, we di*° covered the hubbub! Dogs, a whole field of them, tied in the same manner as the first teams I had seen, were yelping, snarling and barking most ferociously. How fhev jumped at one

another with savage teeth! I shuddered when I though what, might have happened had each of their leashes been a foot longer. Whirling about in one of his rushes, one dog lost a part of his tail, which his opponent spit out disgustedly. Chinook's low growl of protest could scarcely be heard above the din

Quimbo! rang out through the air. Quimbo, be quiet!" Every dog within sight stood stock still. Not a do" barked; all looked expectantlv toward the spot from which the voice came Then each wagged his tail and quietlv curled U p f or a nap or gauntered £ fully along his wire. It was as if a wave of magic had passed over the snarling, barking, savage mass of wolflike creatures, changing them into quiet well-mannered, docile dogs. One dog, only one, after an attentive minute, turned back to his interrupted argument with his neighbour. Verv gingerly he started negotiations as if be had one ear cocked for the sound of that voice.

"Chilcatt!" it came. The dog paused and sank to the ground in obedience. "Can't see what's got into the do-s to-day, said a khaki-clad man of middle age as he came up on the porch There was no doubt in my mind as to who -the person was, when I saw Chinook s actions. Mr. Walden stood before me. After I had introduced mvself with my card and a note from a dog-lovine friend of mine, he greeted me most cordialJy but no more graciously than he did other strangers, who joined us on the porch and did not have letters of introduction. Mr Walden is a born storv-tellcr. What joy he can give the other members of the Byrd expedition! \fter

lie had talked considerably about dogs in general, explaining how he thinks the fine-haired dogs ajid the coarse-haired dogs originated (the one from the dingoes, or wild dogs, and the other from wolves), he told us manv a tale of dog-driving, the Yukon, the ..oldrush to Alaska, and how the dogs helped in that mad stampede, dog-racing, and his trip up Mount Washington" with one of bis dog-teams. Chinook lav beside his master, who occasionally patted him listening tu all that was said and' seeming to know that some of the stories featured him as hero.

"And now you're fjoing to the South Pole, are you not?"' asked one of the group. The eyes of Chinook's master shone. His whole radiated the joy of a man whose greatest ambition in life is on the verge ( .f fulfilment.

In answer to a request for details, -Mr. Walden told us that the expedition Commander Byrd will take south will be no mere dash to the Pole. Its primarv aim is not to reaeh that objective, but to thoroughly study the country about the Pole. This will be accomplished bv Commander Byrd in his airplane. He will go over the ground in one-thousand-mile swaths—five hundred on either side of his line of supplies—until all the territory has been covered. Caches, some twenty-five miles apart, running from the main base of supplies toward the Pole, will furnish the aviators with provisions and necessities, and it is these caches, or supply-bases, that will constitute the work" of the dog-driver. He will keep thorn supplied and shift their position, and this he will do with his hundred dogs and four assistants. "What danger do you fear most?" we asked him. He told us that the country about the South Pole is the great Antarctic Glacier, ten thousand feet high. In this glacial formation are hidden crevasses. If the dogs are properly harnessed together and the harness securely fastened to the sledge. the lead-dog should break through the crust above the crevasse. This will warn the driver in time for him to stop, and the dog, hanging in his harness, can be dragged back to safety. The aviators will need to fear the crevasses far more than the dog-drivers, as they are a real danger in landing.

''What dogs are you taking with you?" asked a lad beside me, who was all ears and eyes. "All of the dogs you see," answered Mr. Walden, sweeping his arm toward , the twenty-odd dogs before us. "Quiinbo is the best leader I have. I am getting more dogs than these, of course.- But these will be my lead-dogs." Quimbo is a great black-and-grev beast, with a well-poised head. As we looked at the huge, lithe bodv, alert and quick, I wondered if this great opportunity of leading such an expedition meant anything in his dogs life. Beside Quiinbo (a negro name, suggested by his colour), there wer- Ballarat (the name of an Australian mining camp) Tarrigan (for Tarri-an Arms), ivuskakwin ( a river's name), Chilean (name of the hardest pass in A'aska), Muskego. Brutus, Xoatak (another river's name). Soaramouche (of fictiono fame), and others whose names I could not toad on their houses. As we talked, the time had passed so* that it was nearing meal-time for the dogs. r lhey were getting uneasv and

beginning to show the traits I ha 1 first seen them display — barking. jmnpins savagery! They certainly had a abundance of energy—enoujrh to make their great work in the south seem puppy-play!

After we had watched the dojrs devour their meal. .Mr. Walden showed up the type of sled he had ordered made at South Tamworth, New Hampshire, of specially selected straight-jrraiu ash. It is a heavy sledge, ten feet lons.', with a :;co-pole in front of the left-hand runner The gee-poles will only be used on the front sledjre of the two sledgo trains. This arrangement enables the driver to help the dogs when necessarv and to better puide the sledjre. something very where o,uick turning and brakmjr are required. The harness lias been specially made, with a view to strength for pulling heavy loads. They were designed so that * thev r«,i be handled with gloved hands in extreme rvihi. and have been ehemieallv treated so that the dogs will not chew them. 'Will you take Chinook with you!" asked the lad of all ears and eves." "You bet! I couldn't leave Chinook behind, if he is well enough to go," he answered, lovingly patting the dog's head. "Why, it's "all due to him that" I am petting this preat ehance. I mado a reputation as a dog-driver when he was the leader."