Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-16
THE REINDEER'S USES.
In Alaska They Furnish Food, Clothes
and transportation
DIR. jackson Tells of the Efforts to In
troduce the Animal-Scanty Food
supply - Great Value.

Rev. Sheldon jackson, general agent of
education in Alaska Is an interesting talk
er on any subject he essays, but the theme
with which he is most familiar, and on
which he is best fitted to speak, Is that per-
tanning to the introduction of domesticated
Siberian reindeer into our new and great
far northwest territory of Alaska The
native population is not many degrees re-
moved from starvation. The food supply of
the country Is not equal to the demands
made upon it. 1t has been destroyed by
the industries of the white man, and the
introduction of breech-loading guns ex-
piosive harpoons and mammoth seines.
once In the palmy days of old the waters
OF that region were thickly settled by the
fnny denizens of the deep. Whale and
walrus blew and sported. These fur
nished the staple food. The caribou or
the wild reindeer. ranged the vast plains,
and fur-bearing animals furnished meat,
clothes and sport Now the whaler has
swept the seas, and the hunter, armed with
magazine shooting-irons, has assassinated
all the game or driven 1t out Of the reach
OF the Alaskan Eskimo. We cannot re-
STOCK the sea with whale as we do the
rivers with carp. trout, shad or bass. DR..
Sheioon thinks that the only solution of
tne problem Is to introduce the homestead
co reindeer. He has made several cruises
along the coast of Siberia with Capt. NJ. A.
heaiey In the United States revenue ma
rine steamer Bear. These cruises led far
up to the north of Cape Navarin. Rein
deer were bought and taken to a harbor at
the head of Point Clarence. which, being
the nearest good harbor to Asia on the
american side was thought to be the best
place for the reindeer station. Here the
nero Is In charge of several Siberians, who
nave with them number of Alaskan Es-
and rh.N, a
70 learn the trade of reindeer herders.
The Introduction of the domesticated REIN
ceer Will not only arrest the course of star
vation, put Will aid in repeopling the coun-
Try. foou is necessary to population.
Good Specimens.
DR.. Sheldon has seen starvation IN all its
horrible phases at King Island and the
Island OF ST. Lawrence. Famine is a COM
mon complaint with the Alaskan Eskimo
A visiting craft is always surrounded by a
throng OF natives. begging for food. The
Alaskan Eskimo Is entitled 20 Il better
tate. He is more of a man than the Eski-
mo of Greenland and of Labrador A. Point
Barrow the average weight Of the male is
only 13o pounds; along the Nushagak river,
the average weight is about 160 pounds, and
from Cape Prince of Wales to Icy Cape and
hotzebue sound, there are six-footers Of
proportionate weight. Giants and giantess-
es have been reported by explorers. Arctic
and subarctic Alaska, nearly equals the
extent of all Europe. With herds of REIN
easy for the country to sustain a popula-
ton of 100000, while now only 20,00J find
precarious livelihood.
Various Uses.
Reindeer will also solve the problem Of
Alaskan transportation. Now the only in
land travel possible is by means of dog
sleds. This is very expensive mode. The
DOR ,,alrA h,,N
and require a large amount of food. With
reindeer communication, the forty or more
missionaries and their families, who are
scattered throughout the country, might
have a monthly mail, instead Of an annual
one as now. A reindeer can travel one
hurdred miles per day, and when he is
used as a beast OF burden he can be packed
with 800 pounds. Then the skin of the rein
deer could lake the place being so rapidly
vacated by the buffalo robe. IN the mar
kets OF Europe, his skin, raw, is worth from
$50 TO S.75, and the tanned skins, which
are OF yellow color and soft texture bring
from 81 to $2.75 each. Sweden is d prompt
market for this product. Then the skins
are also used for gloves, military trousers
and book bindings. The horns OF the rein
deer are valuable for glue. Smoked rein
deer tongue is one of the principal edibles
sold at the great annual fair at Nischnt
Novgorod, Russia. Four hundred thousand
of the animals Craze in Lapland, and pay
the government a tax annually OF one ool-
lar per head. The reindeer is the most
serviceable OF all animals to man in high
ATTITUDES. DR.. Sheldon thinks that IL 1t he
right to sink artesian wells to make the
desert blossom the rose, 1t is only just
to stock Alaska with reindeer and thereby
open up its vast plains to human nabita-
ton. TO establish this industry would be
to make a blade of grass grow where not
one grew before. The reindeer purchased,
have been at an average cost to the govern
ment of S. per head. DIR. Sheldon tells
queer stories of the superstitious rites which
the Siberians perform prior to making a
sale of a reindeer. To part with a i've one
they believe presages bad luck. The sale
is never ventured on without a long pre-
sign making.