REINDEER AND MUSK-OX 



The reindeer would also have to be protected from the 

 Esquimaux dogs; these are an important necessity to the 

 natives and cannot be done without. Reindeer could not fill 

 many of the functions carried out by the sled dogs, e.g., the smel- 

 ling out of the seal breathing holes in winter, travelling over bad 

 or light ice, bear hunting and protecting the native igloos from 

 attack by bear. Dogs are, and always will be, a prime necessity 

 to natives of Bafiins Land. 



Reindeer could not make many of the long journeys done 

 by dogs because they are done on the sea ice, and no reindeer 

 food is obtainable in places along the coast for many miles. 

 Dogs are fed on seal on these journeys as a rule. 



Caribou skins are a prime necessity to the natives for 

 winter clothing; they are killed for this purpose in September. 



The establishment of a herd of reindeer on Northern 

 Bafifins Land would be difficult and serve no useful purpose. 

 Caribou are numerous, and, consequently wolves, and I know of 

 no small islands there accessible to a ship in any year (as Coats 

 and other Hudson bay islands are) and surrounded by moving 

 pack ice in winter, thereby ensuring the safety of the herd from 

 wolves, or loss by wandering. Even Lancaster sound generally 

 freezes over and makes it possible for natives to cross to North 

 Devon for Musk-ox or polar bear. On Northern Bafiins Land, 

 practically all winter travel in on the sea ice. This frequently 

 sets at certain places in a broken up and very rough condition 

 quite impossible for caribou to travel over as draught animals. 

 I believe the number of caribou on Bafiins — north and south — 

 to be very large; the natives are few and only hunt them in 

 certain localities. Between Home bay and Ponds inlet there 

 are now no native settlements, whalers having ceased to come 

 to these waters; in consequence, the natives have been com- 

 pelled to join other settlements (at Ponds inlet on the north and 

 Cumberland gulf on the south) in order to procure their necessi- 

 ties as ammunition, firearms, etc. With these natives the days 

 of the bow and arrow are gone; they would starve were they 

 unable to obtain ammunition now. At Ponds inlet, owing to a 

 fairly steady supply of necessities, the birth late has exceeded 

 the death rate considerably in the past ten years; if they cannot 

 get necessities they will not have children. I have no doubt 

 whatever of the practicability of domesticating the caribou of 

 the Arctic, though I cannot see where any useful purpose would 

 be served by attempting it on Bafiins Land generally. 



I am of the opinion reindeer or domesticated caribou could 

 be very usefully employed on the south and west shores of 

 Hudson bay and up the rivers into the interior; a rapid journey 

 could be made by caribou from York Factory to Winnipeg in 

 winter, or from Moose Factory to Cochrane. Larger loads and 

 quicker journeys could be accomplished with caribou than with 

 dogs, especially where the snowfall was considerable and the 

 routes — as on rivers — wide and unencumbered with timber, etc. 

 Domestic caribou on Bafiins Land would be difiicult to hold if 



Native Dogs 



Dogs versus Rein- 

 deer for Natives 



Northern 

 Baffins Land 



Lancaster Sound 



Ice conditions 



Number of Caribou 



Native 

 Settlements 



Native Birth 

 and Death Rate 



Domestication 

 of Caribou 



Where Domestic 

 Caribou Would 

 be Useful 



Baffins Land 



57 



