My teams greatly interest me, and no proprietor of a stud of horses ever took greater satisfaction in the occupants of his stables than I do in those of my kennels. Mine, however, are not housed very grandly, said kennels being nothing more than certain walls of hard snow built up alongside the vessel, into which the teams, however, rarely chose to go, preferring the open ice-plain, where they sleep, wound up in a knot like worms in a fish-basket, and are often almost buried out of sight by the drifting snow. It is only when the temperature is very low and the wind unusually fierce that they seek the protection of the snow-walls. These dogs are singular animals, and are a curious study. They have their leader and their sub-leaders--the rulers and the ruled--like any other community desiring good government. The governed get what rights they can, and the governors bully them continually in order that they may enjoy security against rebellion, and live in peace. And a community of dogs is really organized on the basis of correct principles. As an illustration,--my teams are under the control of a big aggressive brute, who sports a dirty red uniform with snuff-colored facings, and has sharp teeth. He possesses immense strength, and his every movement shows that he is perfectly conscious of it. In the twinkling of an eye he can trounce any dog in the whole herd; and he seems to possess the faculty of destroying conspiracies, cabals, and all evil designings against his stern rule. None of the other dogs like him, but they cannot help themselves; they are afraid to turn against him, for when they do so there is no end to the chastisements which they receive. Now Oosisoak (for that is his name) has a rival, a huge, burly fellow with black uniform and white collar. This dog is called Karsuk, which expresses the complexion of his coat. He is larger than Oosisoak, but not so active nor so intelligent. Occasionally he has a set-to with his master; but he always comes off second best, and his unfortunate followers are afterwards flogged in detail by the merciless red-coat. The place of Oosisoak, when harnessed to the sledge, is on the left of the line, and that of Karsuk on the right. [Sidenote: THE LEADER OF THE PACK.] There is another powerful animal which we call Erebus, who governs Sonntag's team as Oosisoak governs mine, and he can whip Karsuk, but he never has a bout with my leader except at his peril and that of his followers. And thus they go along, fighting to preserve the peace, and chawing each other up to maintain the balance of power; and this is all to my advantage; for if the present relations of things were disturbed, my community of dogs would be in a state of anarchy. Oosisoak would go into exile, and would die of laziness and a broken heart, and great and bloody would be the feuds between the rival interests, led by Karsuk and Erebus, before it was decided which is the better team. [Sidenote: THE QUEEN OF THE KENNEL.]