REINDEER AND MUSK-OX 



"He agrees entirely that Quebec, just north of the gulf in the high 

 barren lands between Harrington and Blanc Sablon, would be an ideal 

 ground for the deer. I know that's the place, though Stefansson wants 

 to take them all north. Kjellmann knows all about it. It is so easy to 

 get the deer to where ours are — such a lovely place to live for herders — 

 and also such a good place for markets. The deer could haul meat to 

 the line, or a steamer or two could carry carcasses." 



The following are extracts from a letter from Mr. Kjellmann to myself, 

 dated April 6, 1921:— 



"My enquiry was not for any special section, but to obtain general 

 points from the entire moss-bearing belt of Canada. I do not expect to 

 find the north shore of St. Lawrence bay especially adapted for reindeer 

 raising, while further inland on the peninsula, between the Atlantic and 

 the Hudson bay, I expect conditions to be very favourable in general. 



"Conditions in Lapland make it necessary for many of the Lapps 

 to seek new fields of endeavour to obtain a living. 



"Some years ago the Norwegian and Swedish Governments ap- 

 pointed a joint commission to work out a solution of the reindeer problem. 

 The commission sectionized the entire pasture area in the two countries 

 and set a limit to the number of animals to be allowed in each section; 

 this limit has been reached, hence no further increase of herds is possible. 

 Unfortunately, the commission did not limit the increase of Laplanders, 

 therefore an over-supply of people who have to seek new fields. 



"In Alaska the condition is vice versa, namely, an over-supply of 

 reindeer for the consumption of home markets; for this and other reasons, 

 some of the Lapps there wish to change. 



"By mixing the two conditions each one would remedy the other, 

 and Canada would profit by the mixture; but in this matter, like every- 

 thing else — no profit without effort. 



"It would be mere guess work to state the number of people who 

 would move if the condition was favourable — my guess is several hundred 

 from Lapland. In 1898, it took us but two weeks to gather 175 of them 

 and have them on their way out of their country. 



"Alaska has only a few^perhaps four to eight families. Their 

 herds would aggregate about 8,000 to 10,000 head, which could be aug- 

 mented by purchase if desired." 



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