The Wrangell sentinel., 1931-04-24
Deer HerdtrS Are Camped
 On COlville

To have breakfast in Fairbanks even if it was an early one and then to travel within 75 miles of the Artic Ocean and return to Fairbanks in time for an early dinner. with three stops, one of way would have been an impossi- ble dream not so many years ago but now it is an accomplished fact.
 The trip was made by D. B. Crowley of the Lomen Reindeer Corporation with Chief Pilot Joe Crosson of the Alaskan Airways in a Fairchild airplane for the purpose of taking food supplies to the herders who are driving a herd of reindeer to the Canadian Arctic and to see how they are faring. They found the herdsmen and reindeer on the Colville river at the mouth of the Anaktuvuk,.
 "They are in fine shape and have had nice weather for the winters trek" Mr Crowley said. "The deer are in good condition except for being somewhat poor from the long drive"
 Andrew Barr, Lapp who is in charge of the drive, has halted at the mouth of the Anakauvik un- til the fawning season is over. After the breakup he expects to move to the Kupowruk, the first river east of the Colville, for the remainder of the summer. That will probably bring the herd to within 30 or 40 miles of the coast.
 He expects to get an early start next fall and deliver the reindeer to the Canadian government next winter. With Barr are two other Lapps, the remainder of the herds men being Eskimos.
 MT. Crowley and Pilot Crososn left Fairbanks at o'clock in the morning. They made stop at Bettles to refuel and at 10 o'clock had located the deer and landed.
 Over half a ton of food sup plies consisting largely of staples such as flour, sugar, rice and beans., were taken in the plane and the arrival of the food was welcomed by Barr and his men. They were becoming very short of food.
 After leaving Bettles the plane followed up the John River and to reach the Arctic slope a low divide in the Brooks Range was crossed. The plane flew at only 4,0O0 feet fin crossing the noun tains. Through the range there was considerable fog but this was succeeded by sunshine on the Arc tic side.
 Crosson cut over to the Col vile in an effort to pick up the tracks of the herd but failing to see them turred up the river to the point where he had visited the herdsmen when returning to Fairbanks from Point Barrow. There was no sign of the herd there so he turned back again and it was hot until the plane was within a short distance of the camp that tracks were sight ed.
 Tt was a little rough landing on the river ice," said MT. Crow ely, "but Joe started to set the ship down on the river tpail and the ship had almost stopped when we reached the ice. It was fine landing"
 There are about 5000 deer in the herd and fawning will bring an increase of around 50 per cent. They have been on their way nbout year and half now, the drive having started in August 1929.
 It was probably t-e desire to achieve successfully the greatest reindeer drive in history that brought Barr back to Alaska. It could not have been need of money because he is wealthy man and owns a $100,000 apart ment house in Seattle. "He un- derstands the life, is we'll fitted to withstand the hardships and wants to put the drive across" MT Crowley declared