The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1908-06-11

for Alaska has proved such success
that 1T has suggested to DR.. Willard
Grenfell, the celebrated physician and
missionary to Labrador, to try what
the animals can do for the latter coun.
try. DR.. Grenfell is keenly alive to
the temporal as well as the spiritual
welfare of his parishioners and his
latest attempt to solve the strenuous
problem of life for the people of that
bleak coast is through this introduc-
ton of reindeer. During the last few
months small herd of deer from
Norway has been landed at Cremille
harbor, Labrador, which will prove, it
is hoped, the progenitors of q numer.
GUS native stock.
1t was no holiday task to get the ami
mails safely ashore. On account Of ice
foes, the steamer could not reach the
landing. Some of the ice on which
they were lowered from the steamers
deck broke under the weight and sew
eral deer unfortunately perished The
bulk of the herd, however, was safe.
ly driven to terra firma, where, under
the care of several Lapland families,
especially imported for the purpose,
1t is hoped they will speedily become
acclimated.
DIR. Grenfell, whose efforts in behalf
OF these far northern peoples has re-
celved wide recognition, and whose
staunch little yacht, the Strathcona.
every year makes the round trip OF
all the Labrador harbors, has long felt
the need Of such relief as the rein
deer seem likely to afford
For one thing they are designed to
take the place of dogs as n means of
transportation. These dogs are pa
tient. strong, bearers of burdens, but
they are destructive to al alarming
degree. They fight continually among
themselves. sometimes killing one an
other in their fierce combats and even
fatally injuring women and children.
Two of DR.. Grenfell's native helpers
have lost their lives from attacks by
these terrible brutes. The noise of
their barking about the hospitals is
detrimental to patients. Goats or cows
they destroy, SO that milk, an indis.
pensable article, as Americans are apt
to think, especially in sickness, is prac-
tically unknown in Labrador. More.
over, they have ravenous appetites
and need large stores of food. The
sledges must be heavily weighted with
their supplies on every journey across
the snow, when everything depends
on being as lightly loaded as possible
DR.. Grenfell, in experimenting with
reindeer, is encouraged by the prece.
dent of a similar enterprise in Alaska
the most successful instance OF ami
NAL propagation known. Through the
untiring efforts of Dr. Sheldon Jack
son, a Presbyterian missionary, the
reindeer has been made, during the
last 10 years, most useful resident
among the Alaskan Eskimo, a people
who. few years ago, seemed doomed
almost 10 extinction. The story of
DR.. Jaekson's work reflects credit both
on his forethought and on his indomit.
able perseverance.
On journey in 1890 he discovered
conditions among the Alaskans which
boded Ill for their very continuance
as people. The rapacious white
man, with his improved weapons, was
rapidly killing off the seals, walruses
and caribou on which the natives de-
pended for both food and clothing.
He saw that unless something was
done at once the United States would
have TO choose between supplying
these 10000 natives with regular ra-
tions or letting them starye to death
DIR. Jackson knew that, across
Behring strait, the Siberian peasants.
in latitude similar to that OF Alaska,
we're selfsipporting through their
great herds OF domesticated reindeer. |
He knew that this animal had the |
greatest variety of uses. It's flesh was
good for food, its hide made excellent
clothing, II was moreover available as |
sttong and docile pack animal. Its
cost for feed was nothing, as It could |
live entirely on moss dug from the
snow.
Noting all these good qualities, DR.. |
Jackson determined TO try TO intro. |
ducs the reindeer into Alaska. He
first applied to congress for an ap. |
preparation, but was refused. The |
statesmen at Washington were unable |
to see the need. as did this statesman
on the frontier Private individuals |
raised $4,000 and the missionary |
sailed. by special concession. in a gov.
ernment ship. to make purchases.
The Siberlans were suspicious, how
ever. and had no desire to part with
any of their deer so highly nrizad M
their chief means OF livelihood. In
vain Jackson called at port after port
and offered his money. For weeks not
a single owner could be found willing
to sell Finally through barter, and