Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08

there on account of the ice on the moss.
which is thicker than usual this year, ow-
Witch froze as soon as it fell. The trip
did not produce any results For some
reason the Laps grumbled continually.
the sugar which we furnished them was
granulated, whereas they wanted lump or
loaf sugar. 1t seems that their method of
is to dip the lump of sugar in the coffee
and then suck up the coffee, until the
sugar dissolves away. Their diet is quite
eheess BLACK Sreas made 'S u rye ea
oleomargarine. and canned meat. instead
Of vension. and canned milk till the does
fawn. supplemented with little venison
which they brought with them, raw.
smoked or boiled.
Within a day or two they had become
used to the situation. and were as cheer
full as could be They quickly became ac-
quainted with the people round about. who
visited them a great deal. I happened In
one day and found the dog driver teach
ing one of the Lapp boys to spell out
Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen" on his
sweater They have now been to church
several Sundays. and. although they can
take very little part in the service, they
seem to enjoy it.
The day following the first expedition a
second was made further into the country.
where moss was found I'm less exposed
places. and the Lapps were perfectly sat
sfed to move the deer: in fact. they were
anxious to get into the'country to camp
They said that civilized house was too
draughty for them. Accordingly. the next
Monday, a week after the landing. they
lassoed five deer, hitched them to their
loaded polkaS and started inland. one
of the women went ahead and led deer
and the other teams were tied in a long
line. one behind the other. AS soon as
they were little way from the houses.
Lapp jumped on each polka. shouted to
the deer. and away they went at lightning
speed. although it was such bad going
and the snow was SO soft. that the dogs
could hardly haul komatik on the level
All the women, except one. and the Two
boys. were left here until the camp was
settled. The tent. made of blanketing, was
pitched about eight miles inland. 1t rs
wigwam-shape, with fire in the center
and just room enough for Lapp TO lie
down with his feet at the fire and his head
against the side of the tent. In four or
five places the bottom of the tent Is raised
up to make a draught for the fire, so that
one sits there he freezes his back ana
burns his face: and yet they spoke OF
draughts! Their tent Is always full or
smoke and. after living in it for five min
utes. | knew why their eyes look so blood
shot.
Equipment for the Camp.
Mr. Lindsay has. moved i'm near them.
with the interpreter. to study the deer and
the Lapp language. With them is one OF
the fifteen year-old orphans. who is to
be an apprenticed herder. and an ener
getic young Newfoundander who has been
hired to learn the business from the
ground up, and eventually take charge OF
the deer.
Preparations for this second camp were
more or less absorbing. The camp itself
consists of two canvas tents. one for cook
ing and a larger wall tent to sleep i'll.
Each is equipped with a folding sheet-iron
stove In one are kept the provisions.
hard tack. -four. salt pork and beef. con-
densed milk. tea. etc, and other things
are cooked here and carried out To the
camp each week, such as beans, bread,
etc.
The four men were provided with water
proof canvas sleeping bags. lined with
blankets and dogskins; under and on top
of the sleeping bags are placed caribou
skins. Dr. Grenfell having purchased a
bale of them on the Labrador on the
Strathcona's last trip north. The wild
caribou, inhabiting Labrador and New
foundland in large herds, are practically
identical with the reindeer.
Another consideration was that OF ciotn-
ing and personal outfit. Besides the
necessary wooden. clothes. underclothes.
sweaters stockings. skins. boots and
mtts. three of the party wore seaiskn
cossacks and the boy sheepskin coat
The other indispensables were snowshoes
which are rapidly giving place to the skis
t.'skees') of the Laps: axes. guns, etc.
The deer have found plenty OF moss and
are doing nicely, and. as they have safely
passed through a spell of the worst
weather this country is able to produce.
and as their greatest enemy. the wolf. Is
practically extinct in Newfoundland, We
have hopes for the future.
WILLIAM GREENFIELD