All four of them have been brought up to regard me as the patron, protector, and guide of their people.

Their capacities, peculiarities, and individual characteristics were perfectly known to me, and they were chosen out of the whole tribe for the final great effort because I knew them to be most perfectly adapted to the work in hand.
[Illustration: THE DOG MARKET AT CAPE YORK] Before taking up the story of our advance from Cape York, a word ought to be said about those remarkable creatures, the Eskimo dogs, for without their help success could never have crowned the efforts of the expedition.

They are sturdy, magnificent animals.

There may be larger dogs than these, there may be handsomer dogs; but I doubt it.

Other dogs may work as well or travel as fast and far when fully fed; but there is no dog in the world that can work so long in the lowest temperatures on practically nothing to eat.