The Portland daily press., 1894-01-10

Gne next they may be in A starving con-
oltlon. Every one remembers the pite-
Gus story OF the three villages on the
Island OF st. Lawrence where about five
years ago, death by starvation overlook
6he entire population. When one of our
revenue cutters went there in the sum-
| mer following the tragedy the bodies of
the people were found everywhere. on
the rude platforms that served as beds,
ON the floors, in the doorways, and along
them.
In the fall of 1891 Capt. Healy, on the
revenue cutter Bear, providentialIy
called at the village on Kings island,
where he round the people starving.
They had already killed their sledge
dogs to keep themselves alive. The only
| food of some families was broth of
seaweed. The vessel was going home,
| and merely happened to call there. Ii
1t had not been for the succor extended
by the Bear it is not likely that soul
would have been alive the following
summer to tell the story.
The condition of these few thousands
OF people on the islands and along the
coasts of Alaska appeals all the more too
our sympathy, because their sources of
tood have been destroyed by the indus
tries of white men. The whalers have
Killed and driven off the whale and
walrus. Breech-loading firearms have
greatly depleted the numb of caribou
ana fur bearing animals. The introduce
tlon of firearms in the Mackenzie basin
has led IL unnecessary destruction of
great t',ilt~rs of game. The wood
bufIalt Il was SO large source of
1000 a.... .etiing, is now almost extinct.
Years aga ia that river basin there was a
heavy midWinter rainfall which immedi-
ately froze, covering all the food Of the
game with coating of ice, and hun
dreds OF thousands of animals persisted of
starvation. So everywhere across the
northern part of the continent things
are going from bad to worse. There
is nothing left but the
determination of the Native Population.
unless something can be done to save
them. Right across the narrow sea
from Alaska, on the shores of Asia and
extending some ways into the interior
live, hardy, active. and well-fed tribes,
allied to the Eskimos of our continent,
who own tens of thousands of domestic
reindeer. The flesh and skins Of the ami
mails supply them witL food. shelter and
clothing AS far as their own people are
concerned they do not know what tarva-
Jlon means During the past two years
the matter has been well looked into and
it has been found that there is no reason
Why the dGmesticated reineer should not
thrive in Alaska and further east In
deed there seems to be no reason why
these animals should not be a source of
wealth and security to the natives clear
across the northern part of this CONT
nent. On the shores of Alaska and fur
Their inland, the mossesand grasses thrive
on which these animals live in Asia.
The Rev. Sheldon jackson, our Gem
eral Agent of Education in Alaska, had
the honor of suggesting the importation
OF domesticated reindeer. A considera-
BILE sum of money contributed by the
public, in 1891 and grant of $4,000
Mr.. Sheldon, with the assistance of
Capt. Healy and the revenue cutter
Bear, to try the experiment. 1t is now
SO far advanced that it's success, as far
as the practicability of raising reindeer in
Alaska is concerned, is assured. Mr..
Sheldon's report Oh the work has been
printed by the government, and the facts
given here are taken from it.
1t was objected to the work at the
outset that though the natives of Siberia
would kill their deer and sell the meat,
they would not sell live eanimals. In
Remnants book he says that in the two
and half years he spent in Siberia not
one of his parties was ever able to buy
from the Koraks and Tchuctchees a
that the animals would not bear trans
portation across the sea. The work of
1881 was planned on a small scale, to test
the correctness of these assumptions.
1t was found that the natives would
sell reindeer, though it took days to pa
laver to overcome their reluctance to
part with live animals. Sixteen were
finally purchased. They were kept on
shiphoard for over three weeks, passed
through a severe gale, andsswere finally
landed in good condition at Unalaska.
after sea voyage of over 1000 miles
1t was thus proven that they could
be transported on shipboard as easily
and safely as other domestic cattle. The
reindeer thrived during the winter atUn-
alaska, aad by spring two additions had
been made TO the herd
In the summer of 1899 operations were
much enlarged in view of the success of
the preliminary experiments and with
the aid of the government grant. A herd
of rs selected animals was purchased
in Siberia and landed at Port Clarence.
on the Alaskan coast.
This point was selected for the reindeer
station because it is the nearest harbor
to Siberia and because it is a central
point from which the animals NAV easily
be distribu
Four Siberians who are we'll acqua1nt-
ed with the management of reindeer
were tbhSIl W L OIO SldIcUC6 ana placed
in charge of the herd. Under their di-
rection few Alaskan Eskimos are learn
ing the care and management of rein
deer. The intention is from year to year
to increase the number of Eskimo ap-
prentices to the herders. The Eskimos
who are learning the business are ali
young men.
As soon as each Of them has demon
strated his capacity and learned the
business small herd will be given to
him as his start in life. From year to
year the Der of these native herders
be set up in business as herders on their
own account, and in this way the herds
will naturally become more and more
distri buted throughout the country. I'M
til at last they oversread the entire north
ern region as the northeastern corners of
Siberia and Laland are now covarad