Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-05-04
ROMANCE OF THE REINDEER

A mistress went to Castle Garden.
wnen that was a port Of entry, for
maid. She found a demure little swede.
Can you cook?" the mistress asked.
mo. MEM" Can you sweep and make
beds?" mo. men," What then. can
you do?" she asked, in desperation. II
can milk reindeer, mem"
In that day TO come to this country to
milk reindeer was like going TO Tahiti to
cut ice. Now you can cut ice in Tahiti,
and there are thousands OF reindeer in
this country waiting 10 be MIXED, and
prepared TO furnish butter and cheese
and perform duties which they alone can
perform.
The civilization Of Alaska by reindeer
is one Of the prettiest tales ever told OF
Imagination justified by experience; one
of the most convincing stories OF the
glance OF the prophetic eye fully and
speedily realized. 1t is also the story
Of discouragement, ridicule. persistence
against overwhelming odds, and, what is
more dlfiicult, OF the combat with skepti-
cism, against which only the most en-
livening faith. undaunted hope, and un-
conquerable energy can make way.
Until gold was found in Alaska, II was
the neglected step-child OF the country.
Except TO the missionary and the seal
hunters of the coast the Inhabitants OF
the Arctic circle had not even a place in
the census
The missionary is a curious person.
He sees things through the eye Of faith,
as others see through knowledge. To
this trait is due, as so many other vital
but unrecognized acts are due, that ma
chinery OF the new civilization in Alaska
now so successfully under way. OF this
the reindeer is the motive power. 1t
Ia mia no cd
In 1890 DR.. Sheldon Jackson, making
MS inspecting tour among the Alaskan
missions, became aware of an impending
dangerous situation. The greed OF the
white men was devastating both land and
sea. The whalers had driven the whales
to other seas. The walrus was nearly
exterminated by steam and rapid-hring
guns The hunted seals no longer played
about the coast line. To find them the
native had to go far out to sea- This
meant that the inhabitants of northern
Alaska were being deprived Of their food,
their clothing, light, implements, and
their industries. Famine was depopulat-
ing them, and 1t was inevitable that the
government would soon have thousands
of helpless persons dependent on its
bounty for food.
Across the 80 miles of water We know
as Behring'S straits was Siberia, with a
people comfortably prosperous and living
under almost the same natural condi-
tions. The contrast was too striking not
to excite attention and inquiry. To DR..
Jackson the answer seemed to lie in the
possession by the Siberians Of their do
nestle reindeer. To the Siberian the
reindeer was food, clothing, beast of bur-
den and article of commerce. The REIN
deer is prolific. 1t costs nothing for its
keep. Under the vast snow fields OF the
frozen North lies the reindeer moss on
which n faedS WhV then should the
reindeer not be to the Alaskan what II
Is to his neighbor across Behring'S straits?
The proposition was so convincing that
DR.. Jackson hastened to Washington ia
lay It before Congress and ask for a
small appropriation to buy few Siberian
reindeer for the present emergency, and
| In the belief that they would secure
Alaska against future catastrophies.
To Congress this was only one OF those
rainbow schemes for which II is so often
called upon to provide. Senator Teller
indeed, urged the appropriation, but his
voice was lost In this handsome oppor-
tunity for oratorical SATIRE and senatorial
puns. DIR. Jackson did not get his APP
propriation; but a sufficient number OF
outside people were interested In the
project to subscribe $4,000 as a venture
and the government did allow the rev.
enue cutter Thetis to take DIR. jackson
to Siberia to make his purchases.
But the siberlans did not want to sell
The Thetis sailed 1900 miles before ar
owner could be found willing 10 part will
his deer Money he refused. What were
bits OF metal to himl At last he con-
sented to barter for American goods
Thus 16 deer only were secured. This
was in 1891, a beginning so insignificant
that It attracted no attention. Mean
while Senator Teller continued to press
the matter on the Senate, and at las