The Portland daily press., 1898-02-18
IMPORTED SIBERIAN ESKIMO.
Brought to Alaska to Teach the Natives
the Care of Reindeer.
lFrom the Chicago Times.Herald. !

IRON the Chicago IlmeS-Herald.)
| A party of Eskimo sight seeing in
| Chicago recently, aroused passing
/ interest in those queer little people,
which was deepened and sustained
when the fact was learned that they
were in the employ of the government
and were on their way to the seaboard
under the care of United States official.
| They represented at the same time an ex-
pertinent and II failure. Their mission
was to teach the Aleutians of Alaska
how to utilize the reindeer, the Eskimo
being able to get more service in an
endless variety of ways out of domesti-
Gated 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 import
reindeer from Siberia for the benefit and
relief of the Indians of Alaska, insisting
that starvation would depopulate the
country if the reindeer were not imported.
He also urged the establishment of an
agricultural experiment. station. The
Indians of Alaska live on whale and wal
rus 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. Senator Teller asked for an appro-
priation of $15, 900, but it was too late
when the report was presented to the 5lst
Congress. Ihen Sheldon jackson made
an appeal to the sympathies of the public
through the newspapers of all large cities,
and received in voluntary contributions
the sum of S2146. This money he expend-
ed in the purchase of tirnkets and other
objects of barter, and sailed for Siberia
on the government revenue steamer Bear,
Capt. NJ. A. Henley commanding. His
object was to purchase q herd of live
reindeer, but strange complication
caused by q local SUPERSTITION delayed the
project, and even threatened to render his
trip to Siberia futile.
The Eskimo OF Siberia have supersti-
ton that if they sell live reindeer some
thing fatal will happen to the rest OF
overcome the danger, one probably sug
gested by cHpidity. The families to
which the reindeer belong sit in a circle
and smoke for some time, when one of
them goes out to the herd and kills % sin
gle reindeer. The father of the family
then goes to the dead animal and plucks
handful of hair, which he casts toward
the spirit that they look upon as the one
| to propitiate. The wife follows his ex
ample, and under cover of the killing of
one reindeer the whole herd may be sold.
| Uncle Sans representative, Sheldo
jackson, was thus enabled to purchase
| 100 of the animals, he having exchanged
his trinkets for flour or food or presents
| for the women and children. Hour or five
was the limit OF sale from one herd. and
there were long delays. and it was not
until July 4, 1892 that the reindeer, with
| four iberian herders, were landed at Port
! Clarence from the revenue steamer Bear.
This was the beginning of the govern
ments experiment. in demonstrating the
reindeer, for which purpose the four
original Eskimo were imported. Now,
| there are two classes of herders-Siberia
and native Eskimo. They train the
native AIaskans to tame and handle the
reindeer, for which purpose they are hired
| by the government for two years. They
are supplied with shelter. clothing and
| food. If at the end of that time the Alas
kan has learned his business thoroughly
| he is given 10 deer in payment.
When Jackson returned to Siberia for
another invoice of deer he found that
| Capt Wagner of the schooner Berwick
| had bought number of reindeer for exhi-
| bition purposes, and had paid for them in
single deer for any other consideration.
s'No Whiskey-no reindeer" However,
when they learned that the Bear was
about to leave they relented, but it was
| then too late to secure more than few
animals.
The first fawn born at Reindeer Station
Alaska, was named "April Fool,'' that
April /. The swiftest of these hardy ami
mails can travel $50 miles day, but their
regular gait is 100 miles. The further
north the larger and stronger the deer.
They are SO highly priced by the Eskimo
| that even in parting with the poorest and
widest OF a herd they show great reluc-
lance, and going from one animal to an
other when the herd is about to be shipped
they whisper "spelP' 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 Eskimo herd
eFs were noticed in reports to the gov
eminent and taken under advisement,
an outlay of money was involved. This
was in especial reference to the employ
ment of two herders where one would
have been sufficient, as in the matter of
watching the herd of reindeer through the
night. On investigation it was found
that the Eskimo were afraid of the dark
ness. which is more intense than that of
the long polar night and one would not
watch alone. They also prefer to tell
time by the Big Dipper, deeming that
method superior to that of civilization.
These Eskimo hertlers returning to their
own country were our visitors few days
ago when l encountered them in their
reindeer garments, with their queer five
cornered high caps, and boots of deerskin
embroidered with beads, gazing placidly
at the inside grandeur of our fine public
library and nowise discompused by the
interest they excited in reference or read
ing room. There was party of 10 per-
sons in the strange colony, and they were
hurrying home to their cold and beloved
climate before pneumonia or consumption
should still further decimate their num-
ters, some having died from homesick
ness in American hospitals. and all being
afflicted with colds and ailments caused
nv nIlr changed atInOsnhpro They da.