The times., 1899-12-25
THE ALASKAN REINDEER.
Three Thousand Animals Now Owned
by the Government.

The reindeer experiment in Alaska fur
nishes a topic for Governor Brady, OF
that Territory in his annual report. After
reviewing its history to some extent and
showing what valuable service the animals
and their owners rendered to the Govern
ment in the case of Lieutenant Jarvis eE-
pedition to rescue the whalers a Point
Barrow the Governor says that it is well
ascertained now that there is pasturage for
several million reindeer in northern Alaska.
The Government. by purchase and in
crease, has succeeded in getting about 5000
up to the present time. Laplanders have
been imported as instructors for the na
tiyss in herding the animals. which have
been given out to missionary societies
under certain conditions. One Of the con-
ditions is that at the end OF five years
they are to return the number of reindeer
intrustcd TO them, they taking their profit
in the increase. The animals are prolific;
half the yearling does will have fawns at
the end of their first year. and about half
the fawns win live and come to maturity
The main question now is how to get more
OF the animals to breed from.
Since the excitement at Cape Nome be-
ran. the whites are beginning to under
-tand what utility there is in the reindeer
They compete so for the purchase Of the
skins for clothing that the price has risen
from $l.5O to IS and so for summer Delt
The meat brought IN from Siberia on
schooneTs has sold at 81 a pound The
draft animals were used last winter in
conveying Government stores to Cape
Nome aud in hauling for the missionaries
who have claims on Anvil Creek
miner named Summers, who has been
prospecting in southeastern Alaska and va
rious parts OF the Yukon Valley. says that
he no longer cares for dog teams. During
the last year he has had one stag deer
upon whose back he puts a load OF 200
pounds Together they take the trail for
the place where he wishes TO prospect. All
he has to do to provide food for his deer is
to stake the animal out; the mosses are
on the ground In abundance.
man with ten dear could strike cut
into desert country and carry enough
Of an outfit TO last him for year besides
having the assurance that If hard put to
il he could kill one or more of his deer
for their meat. II Is believed that il our
Western stockmen understood what can be
done with reindeer they would put money
and labor gladly into raising them. At
the present time trained animals can be
sold for 1925 a head at Cape Nome,
although they can be raised for from 81
to s. d head
Some interesting facts about the reindeer
are contributed by ". A. Kiellmann. who
has been the superintendent Of the Gov
eTnment herd for several years. When not
feeding or resting they spend most OF the
time training their horns which while in
the velvet are very tender, by throwing
their heads back on their shoulders they
cause the horns to curve forward but more
Of the work is done with their feet.
/ They continually stroke the horns win
their hind feet TO bend them forward; they
/ start fresh prOnRs where they please by
! Kicking the tender shaft in one spot till j,
bleeds bad starting from the wound
and in their Efforts TO make the horns Oh
/ the two sides grow alike they roll their
eyes around in their sockets in what mus.
/ be a most comical manner. In spite OF
these efforts they rarely have a perfectly
symmetrical headgear One deer which
was blind IN one eye had such difficulty
. in training his horns on the blind side thai
they grew Cut in a very ugly shape; an
( other deer which received such AN injury
10 its thigh as TO be unable to use its hind
. feet successfully let its horns grow up il
straight shafts
II is Of interest also to know that be-
tween the toes Of the hind feet there is
an oil duct which enables an animal. when
( he sheds his horns to kesp the stump
! well Cied by rubbing his feet over them.
The Chuck Chez reindeer which have
been purchased thus far by the Govern
ment. are smaller than some which can be
obtained in parts of Siberia The BUreaJ
/ of Education is now trying 10 make ar
rangements with Russian merchants tC
/ supply a number Of these larger animals
and viii buy probably as many as can b;
GO, for the money al its command.