Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-28
EsoUIMAUx TAKE TO REINDEER.
Progress of Uncle Sans Herds In
Alaska.

Alaska.
OF the 10000 reindeer under govern
ment supervision in Alaska, says a
correspondent writing from VAIN
wright, about 1000 are above the
Arctic Circle where the climate is
much more severe than in their old
feeding grounds in Siberia from which
they were carried by the United States
revenue cutters some years ago. The
reports of the local superintendents
of reindeer herds will be forwarded In
this, the second mail to leave the
Arctic this year. These reports will
show a very small increase in the
herds.
The mortality among the fawns this
year was very great owing to the
blizzards which swept over the tun-
dras in April and May when the
fawning season was on. Newly born
fawns, unable to stand up In the
binding storms and help themselves
to nourishment, froze to death by hun
dreds within ten minutes after birth.
Wolves and half wolf dogs also killed
many In some. of the herds.
At present the herds are kept out on
the open tundra near the sea where
there is no protection from the cut
ting blasts. District Superintendent
A. N. Evans has arranged to have the
deer taken inland next spring at least
as far as the foothills, where the pc
culiar white moss on which the Great
ures feed is abundant and where there
is ample protection from the winds.
1t Is hoped that this will save the
fawns and prevent the heavy loss OF
the present year being repeated.
An encouraging feature Of the work
here, far from markets and utterly
shut out from any considerable con-
tact with white men, is the fact that
the native Is slowly but certainly COM
ing to recognize the great possibilities
of the reindeer industry. While every
effort has been made to give as many
which Uncle Sam throws about IN the
herds by direct ownership Of some OF
the deer, the owners Of deer are still
a very small minority.
. So valuable has a government ap-
premiership come to be considered
that it has often been the deciding
factor In determining the outcome OF
the dusky love affairs. when you get
some reindeer I will be your wife"
says the Innuit maiden with the tat
tooed chin. These wise young ladies
know that the ownership Of deer car
ries with 1t as a usual thing three or
four years Of first-class government
rations and piles Of cloth and clothing,
which Uncle Sam throws about IN the
Arctic with generous hand. SO
among the natives there is develop
ing a sort Of render aristocracy quite
at variance with the old democratic,
communistic ideas of the others wno
hold no property worth while and who
have not been favored by the govern
ment.
AS Ouly d hahioSk SoAA ~
appointed apprentices every year and
thus draw government rations, many
are now trying to get deer from other
natives without waiting for govern
ment favors. In this few have sue
ceeded, for the owners, recognizing
their great value, are running the
price Of female reindeer skyward. With
the destruction Of the country's game
and the rising standard Of life among
the natives the population will come
more and more to depend upon the
reindeer industry, which will doubtless
develop rapidly.
Living in a savage state Of society
with no other domestic animal than
the half tanned malamoot dog, the pro-
cess Of teaching the Esquimau here
how to take care Of deer has been slow.
Severe measures have had to be re-
sorted to in many cases 20 compel the
natives to keep their dogs from the
deer camp.
Also it has been found difficult to
prevent those who have no deer from
shooting the unfortunate animals that
stray away from the herd. These are
apprenticeship Of four years. They are
considered legitimate prey and until
recently were hunted the same as car
ibou. This year. however, a great
many of these stray deer have been
picked up and put back into the herds
which they had deserted.
It has thus been found necessary to
put the native herder through a course
of training. Those who get their deer
directly from the government serve an
apprenticeship of four years. They are
bound by a written contract the strict
terms Of which they cannot violate
without peril Of losing their annual
allotment Of reindeer and suffering
discharge from the service.
During the first three years Of their
apprenticeship they receive in addi-
IL,