REINDEER AND MUSK-OX 



In regard to the comparative advantages and merits of dog and reindeer 

 travel in Siberia, Commodore Bertholf stated : — 



"A traveller in Siberia and Alaska would notice a very radical 

 difference between the two countries. In Siberia, the great objective 

 appears to be speed, while in Alaska, the great objective appears to be 

 the amount of weight that can be carried. In Siberia they had, at the 

 time I travelled, well understood regulations as to the amount that could 

 be put on either a dog sled or a deer sled, and we were charged so much 

 per sled on the basis of the weight assigned to the sled. Whenever the 

 road was unfavourable the owners of the deer or dogs would always 

 furnish more sleds and more deer or dogs without additional cost, in order 

 to lighten the load of each sled. On the other hand, in Alaska sleds were 

 always loaded to the utmost capacity of the animals, and this necessitated 

 some one to push behind the sled and someone else to go ahead of the 

 dogs to break trail. In Siberia along the post routes no one ever walks. 

 The driver sits on the sled with the passenger when either reindeer or 

 dogs are used, even where there is no road. The dogs are given their 

 directions by word of mouth from the driver. The reindeer are directed 

 by a line attached to the horns. In addition to the forgoing, it is of interest 

 to note that a driver of a dog team always carries a very stout staff, iron 

 shod, which he not infrequently uses to stop the dogs going too_ fast; 

 either down hill or when they get wind of some animal they desire to 

 chase. 



"The natives had practically no market for their deer so far as I 

 know. There was somewhat of a market for deer skins, practically 

 those of the younger deer. Ola at that time was the sea terminal of a 

 caravan route into the Kolyma river country. During the summer sup- 

 plies which the Government wanted to send into the Kolyma country 

 were brought to Ola by steamer and stored in warehouses. In the winter 

 when the snow travel has become settled, all these supplies are freighted 

 into the Kolyma country by means of deer. Each summer the deermen 

 would come to Ola and arrange with the Government agent for the 

 number of deer they would furnish for the winter transportation. The 

 caravans began operations usually about Christmas time. Formerly all 

 these supplies for the Kolyma country were freighted down the Lena 

 river, but the deer caravans were found more advantageous and less 

 expensive. 



"It is most interesting to note the reliability of these deermen. 

 In the summer when the agreements are made at Ola for the deermen to 

 transport the supplies in winter, they are paid in cash a certain portion of 

 the freight money, and then they disappear into the deer country. There 

 is no way to hold these men, beyond their word, but they have never 

 failed to turn up at Ola with the outfit of deer according to agreement. 

 Whenever a particular man has lost his deer or has died, some relative 

 will be there in his place to fulfil the agreement. 



"If the conditions as to the deer herds have not materially changed 

 since 1901, I think there would be no difficulty in purchasing the deer 

 from these people, providing there is no interference of prohibition on 

 the part of the laws of the country. After we had purchased the deer at 

 Ola, the Czar's government forbade the further sale of reindeer for 

 exportation. I have always surmised that the prohibition was issued 



93 



