94 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 
where it is not probable that wheat, corn or other cereals can ever be © 
profitably produced. 
“During the summer of 1910, His Excellency the Gov- 
Reindeer in == ernor-General, Earl Grey, visited Dr. Grenfell’s mission 
the Northwest ; : ; é 
station on his return journey from Hudson bay. His 
Excellency was greatly interested in the reindeer experiment, and having 
just seen a considerable part of sub-arctic Canada, was impressed with 
the desirability of further extending the experiment by the establishment 
of herds in portions of the Northwest territories. He subsequently dis- 
cussed the question with Hon. Mr. Oliver, then Minister of the Interior, 
with the result that an arrangement was made with Dr. Grenfell to 
supply fifty reindeer to the Dominion Government at what the animals 
had actually cost him. It was decided that the reindeer should be sent 
to a suitable place near Fort Smith, on the Slave river, at the extreme 
northern boundary of Alberta. In addition to the reindeer, Dr. Grenfell 
was to supply two herders and one apprentice to look after the herd, 
three trained dogs and a supply of moss sufficient for the journey from 
Newfoundland to our Northwest. 
“There was no choice as to the time of year when the reindeer were 
to be shipped. They could not be taken across the continent in summer 
weather as they could not stand the heat. They could not be taken 
across in winter unless provision were made for a supply of reindeer 
moss near Edmonton, as the rivers are frozen and they could not be 
transported beyond that point. They could not be moved in the spring 
as that is the fawning season. There was, therefore, only the short 
season left between the close of summer and the ‘freeze-up’ of the 
northern rivers. 
“Tt was arranged with the Department of Marine and Fisheries 
that one of their steamers should call at St. Anthony for the reindeer 
early in September, 1911, and take them to Quebec, from which point 
they would be sent by train to Edmonton. If the boat had proceeded 
direct to Quebec, it is probable that there would have been very small 
loss of deer, but the steamer had to stop on the way to take on board a 
cargo of powdered gypsum, and the effect on the reindeer was serious. 
Four deer died before the steamer reached Quebec and five more on the 
train after leaving Quebec; and, from the symptoms it is practically 
certain that death was caused by inhalation of gypsum dust. 
“Tt was a somewhat difficult matter to transfer the 1eindeer from 
the boats to the cars awaiting them at Quebec, but this was finally ac- 
complished and the trip to Edmonton and from there, sixty miles further 
on to the end of the steel, was made expeditiously, most of the reindeer 
reaching this point in good condition. 
