The Nome nugget., 1901-08-02
NOW NUMBER 1000
And Are Scattered Between Lower
 Yukon Points and Point HOpe-Na- tives Take Kindly to Them and
 Many Have Herds of Their Own.

Dr. r. H. Gamble. for the past three years in charge of the Eaton reindeer station, near Unalaklik, and superin- tendent of stations for Northwestern Alaska, has resigned his position, and will return to his former home in Iowa.
 It is the intention of the interior de- partment to close the station at Eaton. | The herd of reindeer at that point will be distributed among the natives of the Norton sound country and the Lower
 Yukon. A Lapander, who has been employed at Eaton station since the in- troduction of the animals at that place. will also receive a herd of lOO, and he will devote his attention to raising reindeer.
 Scattered at various points between NulatO and the Yukon and Point Hope there are about 4.00O reindeer. The herd now at Teller station will prob ably be taken next winter to Kotzebue sound, where there is more need of them than at Teller, and Rev. T. l.. Brevig, who has been in charge of the Teller herd, will be transferred to kOtzebu
 The first dOmesticated reindeer in Alaska were brought to Unaaska from Siberia in 1891. There had been be- lief previous to that time that the Si- beran coast natives would not sell live reindeer. believing that it would bring ill-luck and dire misfortune to the sell CTS. A few, however. were secured and taken to Unalaska, where they were permitted to exist as best they could. It was not until lS91-9S, how ever. that the introduction of reindeer took practical shape, and herds Were established at various points on the Bering coast and the lower Yukon, mainly through the efforts of Dr. Shel- don Jackson, who fOreSaw in the intrO- ductiOn of these animals a source of food supply at all times for the natives. Whatever adverse criticism may have been indulged in, it must be now admitted that the reindeer in North western Alaska has come to stay: that it is a blessing to the natives and one that will increase as the years go by. unless the native becomes extinct. But there is d danger that threatens to de- strOy reindeer raising in this section. It has arisen coincident with the dis cOvery of gold in this section, and lies in the fact that large areas of reindeer moss have been destroyed by fire When once fire has swept over the tundra, destroying the moss. it never again roots and grows. Patches here and there which escape the ravages of fire spread slowly. There is a strict law against the starting of fires on the tundra, but the reckless men who set it on fire have no thought of the resultant damages as far as the reindeer is con- cerned.
 In the winter of 1898 reindeer were largely instrumental in succoring the ice-beleaguered whalers at Point Bar TOW. They were used as means of com munication by tEe government relief expedition, and were then killed and served as food
 The natives have taken kindly to the reindeer, and there are many now who have herds of their own. The former reindeer king of Northwestern Alaska was Sinrock Charlie, but he died, and his herd of 400 or more is now in the hands of is relatives, including two wives, at $ inrOck.