DOGS BEAT PONIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1929, Page 3

DOGS BEAT PONIES

.HUSKIES WITH HERD’S men LITTLE AMERICA* Antarctica, ' ’Qctpber 1. It is generally conceded now tho English methods of ipgjHiauling or using popjes op long journeyswere wrong* ap P 4 W ipuph Of the suffeyjpg and tragedy pt these heroic episode might have been - avoided if dogs had fapt, Sir Douglas who this year will explore the coast of Antarctica in the Australian quadrant, used dogs on his former expedition, and Sir Ernest Shackleton also cam© to the conclusion after almost reaching the South Re* 6 on a hard journey, during which he lost all his ponies, that dogs were the best means of transport, and he took them on his second expedition. Whep properly conditioned, dogs ■will stand a good deal of exposure, although at very low temperatures they become exhausted, as will any other creature and wear out quickly. ‘ The dogs at Little America have slept outdoors in temperatures as low as 50 below zero, and by this time Seem to have developed marked resistance to cold. ; Their coats have increased in thickness, and even the pads of their feet have becpme covered more thickly with hair. During the summer journeys, of course, severe temperatures will seldom, if ever, be encountered. And ms for the work, the dogs, when in good condition, seem to enjoy it. !' There are several ways of harnessing dogs but the method used here is the Alaskan gang hitch. They are harnessed in pairs on either side of a long line, called the gang line, which is attached to the sledge. One dog travels at the end of the gang as leader, and it is to him that the drivers yell commando to ,f Gee,” meaning to turn to the right, and “Haw,” to turn to the left. «

; Behind the ledder these other dogs are fastened two by two on either side of the gang line. Their' shoulders fit into a collar from which a lead line runs to the gang line in front to keep them from pulling too far to the side.

From either sjde of the collar traces supported by straps across the back run back to a wooden spreader, over which the ends of the traces extend, and fasten to a trace line attached.: behind the dog to the gang line. The other dogs are similarly fastened; sb that when on the trail they run side by side in pairs, the gang line snapping between them. Thpy pull out from it slightly, as they throw all their weight on the traces. They can in this way haul astonishingly heavy loads; and seven or eight dogs frequently hauled more than a ton. last year while freighting from the ship to the base. That, of course, is too much for the trail, and when the geological party starts out nine dogs in each team will pull more than 1100 pounds, divided between two sledgee, fastened one behind the ofher. Th© loads will become lighter as the party progresses, and after the half-way mark is passed apd the geological party begins to lay down its own depots, the weight /will decrease rapidly. The supporting party wiH establish the depots to the half-way mark, and their loads will decrease after the first depot is passed.

PEMMIGAN FOOD x t The dogs will be fed on the trail on a pemmican compounded according to a formula developed by Dr. John E. IS. Malcolm, Professor of Dietetics at Otago University at Dunedin, New Zealand. x The pemmican was re-made there in the plant of Hudson Brothers by volunteeer workmen of the plant, who laboured all night after their regular work, and also on the Sunday before departure, so as to have the dog food ready in time. It has proved successful so far a's it has been-used. It is packed in cakes which are frozen and so keep their shape.' There will be five dog teams, each hauling two sledges. The load sledges will be of a rigid double-ended type developed by Arthur Walden., Each of them will have two gee poles, long poles extending upward from the front of the sledge at an angle of about 40 degrees, on which the driver can throw his weight and so turn the sledge and guide it around obstacles.' The sledges are fastened together by cross chains so that the first always follows in the path of the second. Gee poles were used long ago in Alaska, but have never been used before in the Antarctic. They serve also during the march as supports on which to hang wet gloves, socks, and other articles of clothing to dry. The trailing sledges .are of flexible construction, of Norwegian type. Three of them are single-ended Norwegian army sledges, which have been lightened by cutting the superfluous wood and relashed with rawhide by Bernt Balchem and Sverre Strom.

The two other, trailing sledges were made by Balchen and Strom, cut with knives out of ash and hickory. The runners are hickory and the top part is of ash.

These sledges pre beautiful examples of a craftsmanship which goes back to the early days of the Norsemen. They weigh about 56 pounds, and will carry niipre than half a ton each, and are sq flexible that they •will bend and twist without breaking in going over rough surface. They ar© lashed with rawhide. The driver runs on skis or on foot beside the gee pole at the head of the front sledge, moving from one side to the othpr to guide it as circumstances require. When the trail is smooth and the dogs are running easily, the driven can lean on the gee pole and coast alpng on his skis, relieving himself of much of the fatigue of keeping up with the team. The loads are distributed between the two sledges so that the heaviest load, of about 800 pounds, will be on the front and 300 on the rear sledge. This distribution of the load increases the factor of safety in going over snow-bridged crevasses. The sledgee are Jong, sp as to spread the load over as much surface as possible. Each of the rigid leading- sledges will carry two canvas tanks, as they are called, two boxes made of canvas in which will be packed securely the dog and man food.

The dog food is in cakes and the man foood in packages, so that the forward tanks will be trim rectangular boxes. The tanks are secured on the bottom to the sledgd, so that lashing is reduced to a minimum. Sleeping bags are lashed on top. The rear sledges will carry a single canvas

tank, in which other supplies and equipment are carried. This method of packing makes a neat and secure load, and one which can be opened easily and lashed quickly in making and breaking camp. The tanks also keep out snow and make the load so compact that nothing is likely to be lost if a sledge is tippedj over or slides over the edge of a crevasse, and has to be hauled to the surface The food and supplies are also distributed among the five sledge teams in such a way that the loss of a sledge would not thfi ISSB Of most of the food, as has happened with disastrous results.