The Springfield herald., 1912-03-29

L.
mesticated reindeer. intro
duced as an experiment a
number of years ago with ami
mails imported from Siberia
by the government. has now become
the most prominent feature OF the In
dustrial education of the Eskimo and
the main activity of many native vii
lagos Of Arctic Alaska. writes w. l..
Beasly in Scientific America. The
progress In civilization that has been
made by lifting up the natives former
ly living as savages and eking out
precarious existence by hunting. with
no other domestic animal than the
dog, to the estate of civilized. self
supporting herdsmen. as accomplished
through the reindeer industry, is re-
markable educational achievement.
Tho Alaska Reindeer Service has now
reached its most successful stage, as
It marks the beginning of the period
Of full utilization of all the reindeer
owned by the government for the bene-
fit of the native population. At the
present time there is hardly surplus
government reindeer north of the Kus-
kowin river. This has been made pos
sible by the establishment of new rein
deer stations, the employment of more
natives as chief herders, by accepting
the largest practical number OF ap-
prentices, and by transferring reindeer
to both chief herders and apprentices.
in lieu Of salary or supplies. the chief
aim and fundamental policy OF the
government being to turn the reindeer
over to the natives as rapidly as they
learn the industry and appreciate Its
value.
The total number OF reindeer In
Alaska at the last census was nearly
$4,000. and Of this number, over 1000
are owned by the natives. One of the
most striking and gratifying features
is the large income which the natives
derive from the sale of reindeer pro-
ducts. their share for the past fiscal
year having been $4,000 and over.
The amount does not include the
value of the reindeer skins used for
clothing nor that Of the meat con-
sumed as food. These material bene-
fits and the very considerable income
thus derived demonstrates the fact
that the reindeer industry has become
one of the most prominent factors in
the economic life of the Eskimo. The
total number of Alaskan reindeer is
distributed in herds among 2S stations,
IS of these being owned by the gov
ernment and 10 by church missions
The Lapps own over three thousand.
The natives are very anxious to get
deer, and look upon them as a safe
investment for their earnings, and
usually take deer in preference to
cash for services, when an opportun-
ity is offered. The government does
not sell deer; this is done by natives
and missions alone. The various mis-
sons are furnished herd of 100 deer
on loan for period of five years by
the government.
Mission Keeps Increase.
At the end of this time the original
number must be returned. The mis-
sion keeps the increase of fawns,
which amount to several hundred, de-
rived from the government loan. The
Moravian mission Of Bethel has one of
the largest herds. nearly three thous-
and. Other missions having over one
thousand deer, all in Arctic Alaska,
north of the Yukon, are located at
Golovin, Kotzebue, Shishmaref and
Cape Wales. At Barrow. latitude II
deg. 25 min. the most northern point
on the American continent, there is a
herd Of 300
The total population here is about
4OO-men, women and children. One
native, Takpuk, is considered the rich
est man OF that region. as he owns
herd of 1877 reindeer. The missions
support and educate number Of
young apprentice herders. The native
herders also take on apprentices and
award them six deer a year in pay
ment for their services. The Lap
landers take a loan of deer for five
years from the government. and give
their services as instructors for that
period At the end Of five years the
Lapp returns the 100 deer and be-
comes an independent herder himself
with the large increase of reindeer he
has obtained from the herd. The Lapp
herders are not interested In the ex-
tension of the reindeer among the ma
tives. Some of the largest owners of
deer are Lapps. some half dozen
of these men having accumulated
herds of from five to nearly eight hun
dred. In introducing the reindeer as
a means to promote the industrial
lie and to provide a permanent live