Demetri, the Russian Dog-driver, Keeping a Penguin from the Dogs

No 9. from Players cigarette cards, second series of 25, 'Polar Exploration'. The front shows the bows of the expedition vessel and Demetri standing between three sledge dogs and a penguin. The card is entitled: 'Players Cigarettes DEMETRI THE RUSSIAN DOG DRIVER.' Reverse: 'Demetri, the Russian Dog-driver, Keeping a Penguin from the Dogs. When the Terra Nova first reached Cape Evans, several dogs were placed on the ice in readiness for sledging the stores across the frozen sea to the shore. Great trouble was experienced by curious penguins running at the dogs and exciting them; once within reach of the Siberian sledge dogs, the penguin was torn to pieces. Every endeavour was made to keep the stupid birds away, but their curiosity brought them again and again to the dog-teams, and hundreds of the plucky little birds were killed.'

Object Details

ID: ZBA2283.9
Type: Cigarette cards
Display location: Not on display
Date made: 1916
People: Girev, Dmitriy Semenovich
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 1 mm x 67 mm x 36 mm
Parts: Set of cigarette cards commemorating polar exploration (Cigarette cards)