Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-04-03

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 a dozen
or these men having accumulated
herds Of from five to nearly eight hun
dred. In introducing the reindeer as
a means to promote the Industrial
life and to provide permanent live
lihood for the Eskimo, it has been
found necessary by the government to
put the young natives through q
course of training. Those who get
their deer directly from the govern
ment, serve an apprenticeship of five
years. There are several hundred of
these at present. 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 This caring for
training and breeding the deer is an
education in itself, and the best which
the government could give to the
young natives. With careful training
the Eskimo boys make excellent herd
ers. They readily learn how to take
care OF the reindeer, to throw the las
so, to harness and drive the deer, and
to watch the fawns Siberian herders
were first imported to teach them. but
OF late years the more intelligent and
efficient Laplanders, who have learned
by centuries of experience the breed
Ing of reindeer, were secured. The
Eskimo boys take quickly to some
phases of the work and in some re-
spects excel the Laps; they can lasso
better than the Lapps, and many be-
come experts in making harness and
sleds. The mindfng of the herd re-
qu1res constant vigilance, especially
IN the spring, during the fawning sea-
son. Then the Aerders have to keep
watch day and night by turns with
the rife to protect the herd from raw
ages OF the Arctic wolf and dogs
Mark to Designate.
In the ear of each government deer
little aluminium button is fastened
securely, and 81 private owners and
herders have mark which must be
registered witls the local superinten-
dent of the reindeer station and also
at Washington Besides being taught
the art Of deermanship, the appren-
tees are instructed in keeping ac-
counts, the methods of marketing rein
deer, and in other practical matters
connected with the industry.
AS this herd will double itself every
three years, the graduate apprentice
will have a herd which will afford and
assure a self-supporting income quite
enough to satisfy the economic wants
Of himself and family in the future.
He is thus established in business by
the government and is given free pas
turage thereafter. The reindeer pro-
duces one fawn in the spring each
year for 10 years. Among the useful
and profitable products of the reindeer
are the skins for clothing Of these
pelts most varied use is made. From
them are fashioned the tight-fitting
trousers and that wonderful outer gar
ment, the ''parka," universally worn In
winter by both male and female ma
tives and by many whites. The "parka"
extends to the knees and has a close
fitting hood, which keeps the head and
shoulders comfortably warm even in
the severest weather. These reindeer
garments are remarkable for their ex-
cellent qualities of resisting moisture
and cold A close examination of the
hair of the reindeer furnishes an ex-
PLANTATION of it's peculiar value. The
hair is not merely hollow tubular
structure, with a cavity extending
throughout it's entire length, but is di-
vided, or partitioped off. into exceed
ingly numerous cells. like watertight
compartments. These are filed with
air and their walls are so elastic and
at the same time of such strong resis-
lance that they are not broken up eth
er during the process Of manufacture
or by swelling when wet The cells
expand in water and thus 1t happens
that a person completely in garments
made of reindeer wool does not sink
when in water.