The times., 1898-02-13
DR.. JACKSON's REPORT
An Interesting Account of the
Reindeer Expedition.
kjellman Encounters Many lard
ships and Ohstacles-Sugges-
tions of the Special Agent.

Acting Secretary Meiklejohn, of the
War Department, yesterday made public
a letter received from Special Agent
Sheldon Jackson, of the reindeer ex-
pedition.
The letter says that DR.. Jackson reach
ed his destination. Bosekop. Fuenaiken,
Norway, on January Is, and three days
later Mr.. William h h Kjellman ar
rived from the interior, after trip en-
failing many hariships. with the rein
deer. drivers, and so on.
Mr.. Jackson writes: ITO appreciate
the greatness of this, success, you must
take into account the circumstances.
He (Mr. Kjellman) was dealing with a
semi-civiiized people, unaccustomed to
and suspicious OF the ways of commerce.
They have no confidence in promise
TO pay The would-be buyer must
show his money and make at least part
payment ON the spot. If we had not
needed deer trained to harness, we could
have bought out whole herd, and thus
secured the 800 needed at one trans
action, but needing a special kind they
had to be picked up in small lots. The
seven men i have had out buying have
ranged from west to east, across the en-
tire width OF Arctic Norway, TO the edge
OF Russia. This has necessitated 5000
miles OF reindeer travel
The mountain passes crossed and re-
crossed during the past few weeks by
The men and reindeer teams in my en-
ploy are as difficult and as dangerous as
the ChilkOot Pass of Alaska. There
were many hindrances in securing
drivers, arising from heredity and the
customs OF centuries. The limited time
al our disposal TO secure the herd,
two weeks, is considered Sh0gt by
the non-progressive Lapps, whose an
cestOrs have occupied the same country
from the beginning of their history.
whose young people have never been
found among the emlgrants Hooking
from other nations 10 Amerlca-WhO. he
yOnd all other nationaiities, have chung
10 their ancestral homes. When we come
and give them two weeks in which to
arrange their business, collect outsEand-
ing accounts. settle old Indebtedness.
dispose of houses and property. visit
near relatons-perhaps for the last time
on earth--and be ready to leave for the
ends of the earth, it is difficult TO realize
what violent revolution of ideas must
take place in their minds.
During the time we have been en-
gagged in procuring the reindeer, agents
for several private parties IN America
have also been at work negotiating for
deer. but without success, a Mr.. Lewis.
however. securing fourteen head.
"I had hoped 10 have secured more
families among the drivers, but the linn
tied time allowed has prevented. Every
Iapp lamily permanently located IN
Alaska means greater development OF
the mines as the mines cannot be Euily
dpvelpped without reindeer transpofUa-
ton of food supplies. and this, IN
turn. necossjtates the Lapps for drivers
and heiders, as the average American
will net accept the hardships Of reindeer
work In engaging these drivers, rel
erence has been had to the future as
we'll as the present. Consequently. some
have been engaged who are accuS toned
10 herding others - reindeer IrelS nt4hg
ond others still to the reindeer mail
service. -
after. seeing what Mr.. kjellman. the
Tapos and reindeer have done in this
region the last few weeks. L have no
doubt Of their being able to so toDawsoh
this spring Allow me TO suggest. now
ever for your consideration, thal MI
Kiellnlan when he arrives at Chltkool
shall not be hampeTed too much by the
views of the officers in charge. Not one
Of thenn has had any experience win
reindeer. and the conditions under Whlch
veindeer work. are entirely dlnefeht IRON
fhose which pertain to the horse ana
mule IL they viii allow Mr.. hJellman,
habits of the reindeer. and his large ex-
Dariepce in travelling with them through
unknown and trackless regions. large
discretion in handling the freight tram
ard selection of routes, | viii guarantee
that he will succeed.
Permit me further to ask your con-
s:deration Of the following plans for the
reindeer after the immediate and press
ing wants of Dawson aud Yukon are
supplied DO not allow the trained rein
deer to be slaughtered for food They are
TOO greatly needed in the immediate fu-
ture. Besides in the spring after freight
ing. they will be unfit TO kill-nothing
but skin and bones. Then there are thou
sands of wild reindeer and some moose
in the vicinity of Dawson and the upper
Yukon. so that the miners, If they have
sent out hunting parties. should have
had sufficient meat. There are also hSh
t. be had from the river After the pres
sure of relief is over. separate the rein
deer and Lapps into two bands. Pasture
one band during the summer in the
general region little west of the Dali
ton trail Detail an army officer, and
use the deer for the exploration of routes
between Forty Mile and Dawson and
the coast at Chilkat. This viii help the
drivers learn the country and ascertain |
the best moss regions.
The knowledge of the region thus |
SdIltO VIII dSSlSl YOU III tue Ailtei vi /
1898 and 1899, il another relief expedition /
has to be undertaken into the Yukon, |
which is very probable.
The second band OF reindeer and /
1apps can be sent to the high plateau at |
the head waters of the Copper. Tanana. |
huskOwin. Shusitna, Forty-mile. White. |
and other rivers. Place an officer also |
with this band, and instruct him to ex- |
plore the country between the mouth |
of the Lanana and Cooks Inlet and 4
Prince William Sound. l feel confident |
that there is a feasible and short route |
between the Yukon and Cooks Inlet bet /
ter than any of the routes from the Chill
kat country. and all on American terri
tory.
These two tracts Of country being ex-
plored, in the fall you can select such
reindeer as you may wish to keep for
the use Of the army in Alaska and the I
remainder turn over to the Interior De
partment or sell. as you may deem best.
After the relief Of Dawson, we shall