The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-10
ALASKA A FAMINE LAND.
THE FOOD SOURCES OF THE EsKI-
MOS DESTROYED.

An Effort to Save the Starving by
Demonstrating the Asian Reindeer
Small Herds for Each Family.
ZOR some years the Indians and
n Eskimos in the northern half
Of this continent have lived
6 most precariously. Their
usual food resources have repeatedly
failed them. They have been re-
duced to extreme restitution, and
many have persisted of starvation.
One year or another famine has
afflicted the entire inhabited region
from Labrador to Alaska.
Little as we know of the history of
the Eskimos on the American main
land, it is certain that thousands
formerly lived where hundreds are
now found. Captain French, an ex-
periencedf pilot along the Labrador
coast, says there is now only one
Eskimo where twenty used to live.
Years ago the Indians killed many of
them, and they have been gradually
diminishing ever since on account
of the growing scarcity of seal, fish,
birds and other game, and also be-
cause of their contact with civilization,
their close winter houses inducing
consumption and other diseases.
The condition of these few thou
sands of people on the islands and
along the coasts of Alaska appeals all
the more to our sympathy because
their sources of food have been de-
stroyed by the industries of white
men.
Right across the narrow sea from
Alaska, on the shores of Asia, and ex-
tending some ways into the interior,
live hardy, active and wen-fed tribes,
allied to the Eskimos of our continent,
who own tens of thousands of domestic
reindeer. The flesh and skins of these
animals supply them with food, shelter
and clothing. As far as their own peo-
pie are concerned; they do not know
what starvation 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 do
mesticated reindeer should not thrive
in Alaska and further east. Indeed,
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
continent. On the shores of Alaska,
and further inland, the MOSES and
grasses thrive on which these animals
live in Asia.
The Rev. Sh| don jackson, our gen.
eral agent of { location in Alaska, had
the honor of ,slggesting the Imports
tion of domesticated reindeer. A con-
siderable sum of money contributed
by the public in 1891 and grant of
SIS, 900 from the Government in 1892
enabled Mr.. Sheldon, with the assist
ance of Captain Healy and the revenue
cutter Bear, to try the experiment. It
is now so far advanced that its sue
cess, as far as the practicability of
raising reindeer in Alaska is concerned,
is assured. Mr.. Sheldon's report on |
the work has been printed by the Gov
eminent, and the facts given here are
taken from it.
It 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 ami
mails. In Remnants book he says that
N the two and a half years he spent in
Siberia not one of his parties was ever
lble to buy from the Koraks and
rchuctchees single living reindeer.
e was also said that the animals would
lot bear transportation across the sea-
The work of 1891 was planned on a
mall scale, to test the correctness of
hese assumptions.
It was found that the natives would
ell reindeer, though it took days of
,alaver to overcome their reluctance
o part with live animals. Sixteen
7ere finally purchased. They were
ept on shipboard for over three weeks,
assed through severe gale, and were
nally landed in good condition at
Jnalaska, after sea voyage of over
600 miles 1t was thus proven that f
hey could be transported on ship '
GARD as easily and safely as other t
omestic cattle. The reindeer thrived t
uring the winter at Unalaska, and by t
bring two additions had been made i
, the herd.
In the summer of 1892 operations
ere much enlarged, in view of the
recess of the preliminary experiments p
Id with the aid of the Government o
rant. A herd of It's selected ami c
ais was purchased In Siberia and 81
nded at Port Clarence, on the Alas &
IN coast. This point was selected p
II the reindeer station hacausa If IL Is