Wichita eagle., 1889-03-09

SkNo6Y
but yet the salt water ice had not formed so
as to bear them. and yet there was enough
of it to prevent their swimming, and they
consequently roamed around in great
droves until the ice let them over to tho
mainland: after which nota single reindeer
was seen for month or so, and when we
had moved many miles TO the south.
On one of these days my party killed
twenty seven reindeer, number which
could have easily been trehled, but this was
as many as could be secured, By removing
the hide and cutting up the carcass and
putting the meat under piles Of stones
where it would be safe from the depreda-
tions of polar bears, wolves, wolverines and
other Arctic carulvor4. / was pleased to
see this sportsmaniike feeling among such
savages, of not killing more than they could
dispose Of wholly; and such useless siaugh-
tiers as those of the buf1aloes and elk that we
had on our plains when those animals were
as numerous there 50 the reindeer are now
in the Arctic are unaeard of among these
simple people of the North. It may be the
less commendable reason of economy in am
munition, but it is fortunate for both the
human and the animal Of that region that it
exists, or determination might follow, as IN
our own country. It was thought by some
that the introduction Of firearms among
the Eskimo might tend to kill out the her
bivorous game, but two causes have fortu-
nately prevented this, one of which I have
given in the reluctance of the natives to
kill more than they can use, while the other
is the general enc, that the use of firearms
tends to make game more wary and suspi-
cious, and therefore much harder to secure.
! found the reindeer mach more wary
ho Of urIc - no,
where the Eskimo get firearms from the
whalers cruising IN those waters. than
around the shores of the Arctic Ocean
where they had never heard shot fred,
and where they could oftentimes be ap-
preached openly to within fair range of
good rife shot-from one hundred and fifty
to two hundred yards. This was particu-
larly true in the spring and fall, when the
reindeer were running in herds, but in the
summer. when scattered over the country
grazing, they were much more difficult of
approach.
II seems to be a general principle Of all
animals that run IN herds or packs that
they have false idea of security resulting
from the large numbers. 1t is such animals
that are particularly prone to extermina-
ton by those who wantonly take advantage
of this without regard to their wants and
more for se-called sport than for the uses
to which they can put the carcasses. The
killing of myriadS of buffaloeS for sport
and for their tongues or hides only, are the
most striking examples in existence.
One Of the most curious characteristics
of the reindeer is the readiness with which
they will take to the water, although, of
course, the only season they can do this is
during the short summer when the lakes
and arms Of the sea are not covered with
ice. They even Ego in swimming" so TO
speak, apparently for the enjoyment of 1t,
and have often thought that their fond
ness for the water was to cool their bodies
at that season caused by overheating from
their thick hair Sure it is that some of
the Eskimo methods of hunting them are
based on this half aquatic habit that they
seem to have. By mounds Of stone made to
represent men and running back mile or
so from the shores of the lake or river, the
reindeer are frightened into the water by
two or three hunters driving them against
or towards these mock figures, and then
they are pursued in canoes and killed with
lances. 1t is an exciting hunt and was
much used by the native hunters before /
they secured firearms, and even yet EN-
ployed when practicable to save am NUM- |
ton. ana altogether by those wild bands
that have not yet secured guns from white
men or adjoining tribes Another method
among these wild tribes is to build pitfalls
by digging deep in the snow and covering
the top with only a few inches Of snow
resting on support, and through this the (
deer breaks and is afterwards ca ptured and /
slain. Otherwise the natives without guns
must approach their reindeer near enough /
to secure them with bow and arrows, and |
this is very difficult, as the reindeer can /
hear their feet crunching on the snow, and (
also hear the ''twang" OF the bow string be-
fore the arrow strikes them, unless the /
bowman is very close to his intended vic /
tim. AS consequence these Eskimo are
the poorest clothed of anyIn the Arctic, and /
will not compare with those furnished with
guns and ammunition.
FREDERICK SCHwATKA.