The Holbrook news., 1912-05-17
HERD OF RELNDEER

Hw HE herding and breeding of do-
 mesticated reindeer, intro
 duced as an experiment a
 number of years ago with ami
 mals 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 will lages 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 eldng 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 The Alaska Reindeer Service has now reached it's most successful stage, as 1t marks the beginning of the period of full utilization of all the reindeer owned by the government for the bene- dt 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 gible 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 2S. 900, and of this number. over Il ,O0O 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 s1S,OO0 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- sions are furnished a herd of 100 deer on loan for a 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 lawns, 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 Go1ovin, Kotzebue. Shishmaref and Cape Wales. At Barrow. latitude n deg. 25 min, the most northern point on the American continent there is a herd of 300.
 The total population here is about 40c-men, women and children. One native, Takpuk, is considered the rich est man of that region. as he owns a herd of 137 reindeer. The missions support and educate a 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 LAD-