People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-07-13
SOME IMPORTED LAPPS.
EUROPEAN NOMADS BROUGHT
OVER BY UNCLE SAM.
Alaskan Reindeer Need Somebody to
Look After Them. and Lsplanders Are
Fetched to Undertake tho Job which
Nobody Else Understands


Nobody Else Understands
e,ezaiEs' Al
Five families OF sub.Arctic nomads
have been imported into this coun-
try under government auspices. They
come from Lapland. The party COM
prises seventeen persons, including
six men, the rest being women and
children. They bring with them
eleven dogs bred for taking care of
reindeer.
1t is for this purpose, in fact, that
they and their owners came over
The Siberian deermen hired to take
care OF the imported reindeer in
Alaska have not proved satisfactory.
They get homesick, longing for
their native pastures on the other
side OF Behring strait, and want to
be travelling to and fro. So it was
decided to replace them with a few
experienced Lapps. Advertisements
were published in all OF the Scan
dinavian newspapers of the United
States. but it was found that there
were no full-blooded Lapps in this
country. Among $50 responses ob.
tanned was one from William A.
kjellman, OF Madison, Wis.
Kiellmann was sent over to Lap.
land. He secured FIVE families of
mountain Laps and took them to
Port Clarence, where the reindeer
are. Port Clarence is an Eskimo
uillage sixty miles from Cape Prince
OF Wales, which Is the most westerly
point OF North America. 1t is within
one degree Of the arctic circle and is
situated on a magnificent harbor
twenty miles in length and nearly
lsnd-locked.
In 1882 the United States steamer
Bear brought III of the animals
from Siberia To these 127 were
added in 1888 Fawns born last year
brought the total number up to SAG.
Ten OF these were trained to draw
sleds. The presence of the reindeer
has attracted. great attention from
the natives, some OF whom have
come 400 miles to see them. Port
Clarence being the rendezvous for
the Attic whaling fleet, many Eskimo
flock thither to trade and the deer
afford to them useful object lesson
One man who had a quantity Of
whalebone asked white skipper tt
go across to Asia and buy deer with
it for him.
II the increase proves to be as an
ticipated, herds of 100 deer eacl
will soon be started at Cape Primo,
of Wales, GolOvin bay, Nulato, OF
the Yukon river, and Saint Lawrence
island. 1t was on Saint Lawrence
island that the entire native pOpula
tiOn starved to death few year.
ago. Whalers sold them whisky
and they spent the summer time il
carouSing, neglectlng to gather theil
usual stores OF food. When winter
came they persisted of hunger. !
appropriations can be got from con
gress, vessel will be chartered t
continue the importation OF dee
from Siberia. Eventually it is hoped
that all Alaska. north of the Yukon
will be stocked with the animals
Thus thousands of square miles 0
now useless territory will be re
claimed and made valuable;a perma
nent wealth-prOducing industry viii
be created, and o barbarous peopl,
at present on the verge OF starva
ton will be lifted up to comfortable
self-support anC civilization.
The deer, on being landed at Por
Clarence and liberated, usually
started off to run away at breaknecI
speed, but they soon came back, an,
only two we're lost in this way
They are easily cared for, wander
ing little and feeding for days il
one locality. In winter they paw
the snow away with their hoofs t.
get at the moss on which they feed
The only difficulties in learning how
to herd them are Harvesting anC
throwing the lassO. For lassoing
seal thong City feet long is used
At one end is attached piece o
ivory with hole in it large enough
to permit the rope to slide freely.
In 1891 small herds were turne,
loose on the islands of Unalaska ant
Amakuek. in the Aleutian chain
These have already increased con
siderably in numbers. Native ap
prentices are being taught how t
care for the deer. As soon as the
have learned how it is intended {
lend few animals TO each OF them
in order that they may start herds Q
their own. 1t is hoped that in thi
manner the entire population Q
Arctic Alaska will be supplied at
future day with means of support
When they have abandoned the chas
as u source Of livelihood for tn
Keeping OF domestic animals, the
will have made a great step towar
civilization.
incidentally. they will be save
rom starvation, which otherwis
must soon wipe them out Owing {
he destruction by the whites OF tn
j seals, whales aud walrus, on whic
} hey have hitherto depended fo
heir support, they can no longer &c
Nough to eat. Food is so scare
hat women nurse their babies unit
hey are . years old. Many infant
, Ire killed BY their parents lest Their