DCHP-1 Online
tail-line North 
n. a strong leather line attached to 773 the rear of a dog-sled, permitting the driver to pull back on the sled when going downhill and enabling him, when the line is allowed to drag behind the sled, to retrieve the outfit should the dogs bolt or should his grip on the sled be dislodged.
- 1853 (1863) In effecting this descent . . . we untackled the dogs, and each held on by the "tail line" of his "sled" and, sitting in the snow, dragged behind to prevent its acquiring impetus.
- 1896 Whenever we began a descent and I called "W-h-o-a!" Fore, the foregoer, invariably broke into a run, starting up the other dogs, and dragging me after them, hanging to the tail-line. . . .
- 1922 Fortunately, I had trailing [behind the dog-sled] a long tail-line of buffalo raw-hide, which I at once grabbed.
- 1963 The party had to go down an exceeding steep 400-foot bank that night . . . and each held on by the tail line of his sled. . . .
- 1853 (1863) In effecting this descent . . . we untackled the dogs, and each held on by the "tail line" of his "sled" and, sitting in the snow, dragged behind to prevent its acquiring impetus.