12 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



cited widespread and general interest. In the public discussions which 

 arose with regard to the scheme, a sentiment was fouiid in some circles 

 that it was impracticable; that on account of the superstitions of the 

 natives they would be unwilling to sell their stock alive; further, that 

 the nature of the reindeer was such that he would not bear ship trans- 

 portation, and also that, even if they could be purchased and safely 

 transported, the native dogs on the Alaskan coast would destroy or 

 the natives kill them for food. This feeling, which was held by many" 

 intelligent men, was asserted so strorigly and positively that it was 

 thought best the first season to make haste slowly, and instead of pur- 

 chasing a large number of reindeer to possibly die on shipboard or 

 l^erhaps to be destroyed by the Alaskan dogs (thus at the very outset 

 prejudicing the scheme), it was deemed wiser and safer to buy only a few. 



Therefore, in the time available from other educational duties during 

 the season of 1891, I again carefully reviewed the ground and secured 

 all possible additional information with regard to the reindeer, and, 

 while delaying the actual establishment of a herd until^ another season, 

 refuted the correctness of the objections that the natives will not sell 

 and the deer will not bear transx)ortation by actually buying and trans- 

 jDorting them. 



The work was so new and untried that many things could only be 

 found out by actual experience. 



First. The wild deer men of Siberia are a very superstitious people, 

 and need to be approached with great wisdom and tact. If a man 

 should sell us deer and the following winter an epidemic break out in 

 his herd, or some calamity befall his family, the Shamans would make 

 him believe that his misfortune was all due to the sale of the deer. 



Second. The Siberian deer men are a nonprogressive people. They 

 have lived for ages outside of the activities and progress of the world. 

 As the fathers did, so continue to do their children. Now, they have 

 never before been asked to sell their deer; it is a new thing to them, 

 and they do not know what to make of it. They were suspicious of 

 our designs. Another difficulty arises from the fact that they can not 

 understand what we want with the reindeer. They have no knowledge 

 of such a motive as doing good to others without pay. 



As a rule, the men with the largest herds, who can best afford to sell, 

 are inland and difficult to reach. Then business selfishness comes in. 

 The introduction of the reindeer on the American side may to some 

 extent injuriously affect their trade in deer skins. From time imme- 

 morial they have been accustomed to take their skins to Alaska and 

 exchange them for oil. To establish herds in Alaska will, they fear, 

 ruin this business. 



Another difficulty experienced was the impossibility of securing a 

 competent interpreter. A few of the natives of the Siberian coast have 

 si)ent one or more seasons on a whaler, and thus picked up a very little 

 English. And upon this class we have been dependent in the past. 



