The Washington herald., 1908-01-26

az competition and loss Of trade across
the strait Ia 1891 Capt N A. Healy. r.
g. s commanding tHe L. s. S. Tletis,
was instructed To convey Dr. Sheldon
Jackson TO Siberia and furnish him
every possible facility for the purchase
ana transportation OF reindeer 90 Alaska.
Deer from siberia.
THE task was difficult one. but he
the famous Chukches herds, which. later.
were augmented by animals from the
sturdier Tuuguse stock.
'The Eskimos make good Herders, and
readily learn to harness and drive the
deer, and to watch the fawns Siberian
herders were az first imported 20 teach
them and later the more intelligent and
efficient Lapianders, who have learned
by centuries Of experience 20 give 10 the
breeding OF reindeer the care that We
give 10 the breeding Of cattle
In the winter Of lssS sIxtv-tbree Lap
iauters and their families volunteered
20 go 20 Alaska, the United States gov
ernmeHt paying the expenses OF their
long journey of 1000 miles. When their
term Of enlistment expired some re-eu-
listed, some or them went home again.
but the majority turned miners Every
one viii be glad 20 know that az leas.
tWo-thlrds of the whole number made
fortunes iu the Cape Nome gold fields
"Iae reindeer hcrdars have O. be
Watchlul Now and then reckless miners
Try 10 Vlunder the herds. or bv their
careiessness set fire 10 the moss A IRE
VIII sweep over the moss b8rreus lick
jnE up every fiber of the moss. as IL
sweeps over our Western prairies. 4
moss fire is even more destructive. for
many years pass before the moss Will
grow again.
AT ihe end OF years service the gov
ernment makes a gift to deserving herd
ers Of two or more reindeer"
Field Fof Hanchmen.
When one considers that raising REIN
deer in Alaska is simple and the profits
enormous. one is surprised and as vet no
one has really gone into the reindeer
business. especially at Nome. where
rich market awaits the reindeer farmer.
fawn during the first four years costs
the owner less than 81 wear. At the
end Of the four years it viii bring at the
mines from so to Slo5 for its meat or. if
trained 10 the sled or for tile pack. Is
easily worth 800 TO Sl50
The faWns are very healthy. and bur
few die: the does are prolific. and after
they are two years of age add "a fawn To
the herd each year for ten years. Last
year, out Of fifty does two years and
,,,oro 81 .,.-, .t--s .-...I,.
- TOT -eisil H'N
,''i" VI muse o'ilS HNe ol7d' three
"l "i''tn were IoSt through accidents or
by the carelessness of the herder.
Tile reindeer are so grCEaribus and tim
id that one herder can easily rUar5 ea0
head. The berder knows tbat if % f.u.
s,ro,, off Ia ,,o,l ,,ot ,oor- 60, -.
,1,.... I'm - s-..-,... '''
III S''' ID '''-ileu ana re-
JON 'he mann heiu
Inc does make almost as good sled deer
as the bulls and geldinSs, though they
are slightly smaller and less enduring
ne OHuh.iieS ueeE Cost III siberia about
g head lot Il lui-sio"n doe or bull
ne lawns uoIh III AIasAa are larger and
80 ,'i,'.' ''s 80. IL, - - go ne l
addition of tbo rr,IDguse brss5 :, g.. So
that The Alaskan stock will bo ir,,roi.,,j
and toughened.
The reindeer COW gives about one tea
cup1uI OF very rich milk, nearly as thick
as Ihe nesl cream. ana making delicious
gI.r,.st. ,.l.,,5 NllAeu WIN 4 niue water the
boriars o,,5 T.,,Iar,7,,i .n- nc
dec and eervo il :, ,o-,,,,i -,
form. From the sinews tough thread is
The Alaskan reindeer can hardly equal
yne Ji1 SPee1 OF lhe Lapiahd deer. which