The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-21
IMPORTED EsQUIMAux.

fact was learned that they were in the employment of the government and were on their way to the seaboard un- der the care of a United States official. They represented at the same time an experiment and failure. Their mis- sion was to teach the Aleutians of Alas ka how to utilize the reindeer, the Es- quimaux being able to get more service in an endless variety of ways out Of domesticating reindeer than any other people.
 In January, 1891, Senator Teller laid before congress the report of Sheldon Jackson, general agent of education in Alaska, urging the government to inn port reindeer from Siberia for the ben eft and relief of the Indians of Alaska, insisting that starvation would depop- ulate the country if the reindeer were not imported. He also urged the estab- lishment of an agricultural experiment station. The Indians of Alaska live on whale and walrus flesh, seal, fish and aquatic birds and caribou, second cousin of the wild reindeer. But whale and walrus have been driven away by whaling cruisers, and the Indians have been reduced by hunger to kill their dogs, of which they are very fond. Sem ator Teller asked for an appropriation of $15,000, built was too late when the report was presented to the Fifty-first congress- Then Sheldon Jackson made an appeal to the sympathies of the pulp lie through the newspapers of all large cities, and received in voluntary con- tributions the sum or $2,146. This mon- ey he expended in the purchase of trinkets and other objects of barter, and sailed for Siberia on the govern- ment revenue steamer the Bear, Cap- tain M. A. Henley commanding. His object was to purchase a herd of live reindeer, but strange complication caused by a local superstition delayed the project, and even threatened to rem der his trip to Siberia futile.
 The Esquimaux of Siberia have su- perstition that if they sell live reindeer something fatal will happen to the rest of their herds There is way, how ever, to overcome the danger, one prob ably suggested by cupidity. The fami- lies to which the reindeer belong sit in circle and smoke for some time, when one of them goes out to the herd and | kills a single reindeer. The father of | the family then goes to the dead animal | and bucks handful of hair, which he
 casts toward the spirit that they look upon as the one to .propltiate The wife | follows his example, and under cover of
 the killing of one reindeer the whole herd may be sold.
 Uncle Sans representative, Sheldon l Jackson, was thus enabled to purchase
 one hundred of the animals, he having exchanged his trinkets for flour or food or presents for the women and chil- l dren. Four or fiveswas the limit of sale | from one herd, and there were long de- | lays, and 1t was not until July 4, 1892, | that the reindeer, with four Siberian herders, were landed at Port Clarence from the revenue steamer Bear.
 l This was the beginning of the gov- l ernment's experiment in domesticating
 the reindeer, for which purpose the four original Esquimaux were imported. | Now, there are two classes of herders- l Siberian and native Esquimaux. They train the native Aiaskans to tame and
 handle the reindeer. for which purpose 1 they are hired by the government for
 two years. They are supplied with shel- | lEIp SlOblllI6 dAiu lOOds u stS thV CAiu VI l that time the Alaskan has learned his
 business thoroughly he is given ten deer
 in payment.
 When Jackson returned to Siberia for | another invoice of deer he found that | Captain Wagner of the schooner Ber- | wick had bought number of reindeer l for exhibition purposes, and had paid
 for them in whiskey. The Siberians re- fused to sell single deer for any other consideration. NO whiskey-no rein | deer" However, when they learned l that the Bear was about to leave they | relented, but it was then too late to SC
 cure more than a few animals.
 The first fawn born at Reindeer Sta | ton, Alaska, was named April Fool l that title designating the day of it's na-
 tivity, April i. The swiftest of these l hardy animals can travel 150 miles a | day but their regular gait Is 100 miles.
 The further north the larger and
 stronger the deer. They are so highly | prized by the Esquimaux that even in
 parting with the poorest and widest of | herd they show great reluctance, and going from one animal to another when
 the herd is about to be shipped, they
 whisper "spell' in the alert ears which Is said to insure their attachment to the
 race that reared them.
 The reindeer form their riches; these
 their tents,
 Their robes, their beds and all their
 homely wealth supply,
 Their wholesome food and cheerful
 cups. Some peculiarities of the EsquimauS
 herders were noticed in reports to the
 government and taken under advise ment. as an outlay of money was in
 volved. This was in especial reference
 to the employment of two herders
 where one would have been sufficient
 as in the matter of watching the hero
 of reindeer through the night. On in
 vestigation it was found that the Es
 quimaux are afraid of the darkness
 which is more intense than that of the
 long polar night, and one would no
 watch alone. They also prefer to tel
 time by the Big Dipper, deeming tha
 method superior to that of civilization
 These Esquimaux herders returning tc
 their own country were our visitors z
 few days ago when I encountered then
 in their reindeer garments, with theil
 queer five-cornered high caps and boots
 of deerskin embroidered with beads
 gazing placidly at the inside grandeur
 of our fine public library and nowis | H,r+ +tot t,,4a yoif