I’ve got something on today, so I’m just marking my territory here, and I’ll change it before 2 a.m.
The Sled Dog Three Fools are three types of working dogs that are quite excellent in extremely cold regions.
The primary reason is that the extremely harsh natural environment of the area is not suitable for other animals capable of labor, nor is it suitable for wheeled vehicles.
Using sled dogs as a means of transport can be seen as making do with what’s available, or as a method born out of necessity.
The dog breeds mainly include Siberian Dogs (Huskies), Alaskan Dogs, Greenland Dogs, Samoyeds, Norwegian Elkhounds, etc.
These sled dogs all share a common feature—they have double coats, which allows them to maintain their body temperature in cold weather with heavy snowfall.
However, Bi Fang is also fond of exploitation; he generously brought out his own food reserves—a few frozen fish and two fat puffins.
Almost as soon as Bi Fang unzipped his bag, Sanshao (Three Fools) smelled the blood and became excitedly jumpy, pouncing on Bi Fang, nearly knocking this strong man to the ground.
Bi Fang couldn’t prepare mature food because of their overexcited state, so he had to give Sanshao (Three Fools) raw food.
As soon as he tossed it over, Sanshao (Three Fools) leaped in the air and caught all the fish in their mouths, devouring them eagerly, showing how long they had been hungry.
After collecting some dry grass nearby for firewood, Bi Fang kept half a puffin, stewing it to serve as his breakfast for the day.
Well, although it’s not yet dawn, it’s indeed breakfast.
After eating, Bi Fang packed up his things and checked Sanshao’s (Three Fools’) harness buckles to ensure they were somewhat worn but still usable, then he used ropes to secure the three together.
He then tied the supplies onto each of the dogs, giving the backpack to the hyperactive Husky, the short spear to the Alaskan, and the remaining miscellaneous items and the sled to the Samoyed. Bi Fang only kept a spear and a dagger on his person for emergencies.
Fed and watered, Sanshao (Three Fools) had no aversion to doing some work. Being industrious working dogs and with their carefree demeanor, they seemed to have fully accepted Bi Fang as their new master.
Relieved of his burden, Bi Fang felt much lighter. He took the lead rope in one hand and set off on the road with Sanshao (Three Fools).
Bi Fang had originally planned to use Sanshao (Three Fools) to pull the sled, but upon consideration, he decided against it. He was now on a hunt, and if he used dogs to pull the sled, the speed might be too fast, and he could miss too much game information. He opted to walk instead.
Once in working mode, Sanshao (Three Fools) was quite well-behaved, holding back their playful nature, without running around wildly; otherwise, Bi Fang might not be able to hold them back by himself.
In the snowy landscape, Bi Fang’s mood was good, after all, he had acquired three free working dogs.
It’s just that their appetite was a bit large, but as long as he could catch a musk ox, everything would be fine.
"Do you guys still remember the story I told at the beginning, about the two adventurers who agreed to see who would conquer Antarctica first?"
[Oh, I remember, Amundsen and Scott!]
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
[Who won?]
[I know, it was Scott!]
[....You listened to your own little world. It was clearly Amundsen. Scott turned into an old popsicle, and he’s still buried in Antarctica.]
"That’s right, it was Amundsen. A large part of the reason for the difference in their fates actually has to do with these guys behind us."
The audience looked skeptically at Sanshao (Three Fools) in front of Bi Fang, wondering how these three fools could be of any use.
The drone flew over to Goudan, who had never seen such a thing and was somewhat astonished for a moment, watching it with a pair of bright blue eyes, full of spirit.
Uh...
Quite spirited.
Guoba, who had woken up early to watch the live broadcast, twitched the corners of his mouth.
"At the time, Scott and Amundsen chose two vastly different types of work animals, with the former using ponies and the latter Eskimo dogs, also a type of sled dog."
"Compared to sled dogs, ponies were completely outclassed under extreme conditions. Ponies required fodder and their cold resistance had not been tested in polar environments, leading to Scott’s team having to rely on manpower later in the expedition. In the harsh conditions of nature, this undoubtedly laid the groundwork for tragedy."
"The blizzard they later encountered and the kerosene leak were just adding insult to injury. Moreover, frostbite was a severe issue among Scott’s team because they did not make extensive use of traditional furs for warmth, leaving their preparations for insulation lacking."
"Moreover, after Scott could no longer become the first man to reach the Antarctic, the psychological blow on the way back, combined with injuries and illness, caused their will to survive to plummet. Even if they had made it back alive, most of them would have been disabled for life. Polar exploration is that brutal."
"In contrast, Amundsen brought a far greater number of Eskimo dogs than he actually needed. The surplus Eskimo dogs were continuously replaced to preserve the strength of the pack, and those that could not keep up were killed to provide food for the people and other dogs."
[Ah, used as food?]
[Wouldn’t cannibalism result in weasel disease…]
[That’s quite extreme.]
[Well, they are tool dogs… It can only be like this.]
[Just because of the wrong choice of working animal, the final outcome is worlds apart.]
"Yes."
Bi Fang gave an affirmative answer.
It’s truly an aspect no one would think of, yet it had already determined the success or failure of the two men.
Ponies or Eskimo dogs?
For explorers, on the vast expanse of the Antarctic Continent, survival components like food, temperature, and supplies all depended on one thing—the choice of transportation.
With all other factors and competitors being nearly equal, what was supposed to be a neck-and-neck contest turned into a cruel joke played on Scott by fate.
Eight years earlier, Scott had actually been to Antarctica, using Eskimo dogs to pull sleds for his expedition at that time.
However, in his view, the high amount of food required by the highly active Eskimo dogs was unbearable on the food-scarce Antarctic Continent.
Therefore, in the choice of transportation, he largely avoided using Eskimo dogs and instead brought a significant number of robust ponies, which can endure hunger and thirst, Siberian ponies, three fuel-supplying caterpillar tractors, and his superstitious secret weapon: man-powered sleds.
For Amundsen, being a dog training expert, his understanding of and affection for dogs was incomparable to that of ordinary people.
In his past polar explorations, Eskimo dogs were almost like a fortress he relied upon for both offense and defense. On his expedition reaching for the endpoint of Antarctica "Q," he brought nearly 100 sled-pulling Eskimo dogs.
As the most important mode of transportation for residents of the Polar Regions before the age of mechanization, Eskimo dogs with their thick fur, astonishing cold resistance, loyal and resolute nature, and reliable working abilities were seen by Amundsen as dependable partners, even when compared to the sturdy ponies.
Within a similar timeframe, Amundsen and Scott set off one after the other.
The two expeditions unfolded a contest of honor in the icy and snowy Antarctic Continent where they could only advance and not retreat.
No one knew what waited ahead of them; on the unforgiving Antarctic Continent, life and death were the norm.
Ice and fire, glory and dreams.
But in the end, Scott lost everything.