Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
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Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
ST. ANTHONY. Labrador, Mar. 30. 1908
p ANUARY 20 had arrived, and we
were expecting the mail steamer to
reach us on her last trip from the
south There was much ice outside
our harbor. and the wind being in
on the land. the thermometer kept down
to % degrees below zero. All the bays
were full Of ice that would easily bear dog
teams, and as far as the eye could see
from the hilltops there was scarcely an
open spot Of water to be seen seaward.
It seemed impossible that the mail boat
could pay us her promised visit, however
determined her captain might be. The
only chance to get letters out for a month
would be by sending them post haste
sixty miles to the southwark. where the
sea lneaved home to the harbor mouth.
where there was no fresh water to make
the ice cling so soon to the land. Here to
the south of us is large bay, the rivers
of which pour so much fresh water over
the salt that 1t very easily closes over,
and, breaking off and freezing on again.
covers the sea for miles with hard, brit
tie slob ice. through which 1t is very diff
cult to steam.
The new herd of reindeer from Lapland
had now been with us nearly three weeks
Under ordinary circumstances we should
have expected them to be in good condi-
ton by this time. Unluckily, heavy fall
of freezing rain had made bad glitter.
or ice crust. over the ground. and had
largely hidden the whereabouts Of the
moss The Laps, who had been tending
the deer. tell me that the moss in their
country is largely eaten out. The deer
there number about a million, and they
are gradually getting smaller. SO that the
oldest man, who is sixty-four. tells me
that he remembers them when theye were
much larger. He says the fawns here Will
probably gradually increase in size, and
he has no doubt whatever, considering
the sweet, rich quality Of the moss here
and it's great abundance. that we shall in
future produce much larger variety.
We decided. therefore. to run the mail
as far as Conche with some of the deer.
in order to try and-cut off the steamer
We accordingly told the Laps to have
three stays ready for a certain morning
at their camp. about four miles in: that
We would drive out with our luggage with
our dogs, and so possibly cover the sixty
miles in the one day, as we had been told
that the deer had done that distance be-
fore. The inevitable packing up was done
over night. the drugs, food. clothing and
other impedimenta all gotten ready. The
greatest difficulty We experienced was
that. according to our friends. the awk-
ward sledge, called a pulka, was all the
deer could haul. The pulka is IKE
small boat, sawn off amidships. running
on wooden bilge pieces. 1t is hauled by
one trace from the stem, the thong trace
passing between the legs to the under side
of the collar 1t has the hair left on the
vellum to prevent its chatting.
Breaking Path.
Half an hour took us into camp, where
we found our Irish friend and his two ap-
prentice herders. settling their own bag
gage away as hard as they could. But
when there Is six feet of snow 1t is not
an easy matter TO get two large tents to
the ground, especially as it. is necessary
to pitch them in among the thick groves
of green trees. OF the deer and Lapps
there was nothing visible till. on mounting
a HILL we discerned their tent and one
black dot slipping down a white hillside,
which proved to be our Lapp driving IN
the herd of deer, that had been frightened
by dog and driven away TO the west.
There was nothing for it but to wait. and
the weather being very threatening we
decided to tether the deer (when caughO
till morning. Meanwhile the threatening
clouds broke, and a blizzard of snow and
drift shut everything in. 1t was late
when we finally reached camp, and the
three stays were tethered for the night
on a likely looking spot for moss. The
storm still holding next morning. it was
impossible to face the direct path which
led over the white hills and then along
the tops until We should drop down into
the real cut dog track, which ran some
eight miles to the south of the camp; so
we decided to travel along the foot OF the
hills and follow a lead of lakes and
strike the cut pafh. According to the
Lamp it was necessary for him to walk
ahead Of the deer and guide them, as