KAMSCHATKAN'S BEASTS OF BURDEN.
Kamschatkan's dogs are probably the most sagacious of all feral types, and are employed and trained in the most careful manner for the multitudinous services required of them. Soon after birth they are placed with their dam in a deep pit, that they may see neither man nor beast, and, after having been weaned, are condemned to solitary confinement for six months, at the end of which time they are put to a sledge with other dogs, and, being extremely shy and frightened withal, they run as fast as they can until they become blown and cowed. After this trip they are remanded to their pit, where they remain off and on until they are thoroughly trained and sledge-broken. This severe education sours their temper amazingly, and makes them anything but companionable. Drivers are frequently obliged to stun them by a blow on the nose before unharnessing them, on account of their savage nature. Besides drawing sledges they tow boats up the rivers in summer and keep their masters warm in winter nights. They live exclusively on fish, which they catch for themselves. In winter their ration comprises forty frozen herrings per day.—Forest and Stream.