INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 59 



thing about it brought me to the conclusion that all who had had a share 

 in it ought to pay for it. I rendered a decision as seriously as a judge. 

 My verdict was that everybody who had eaten of the stolen deer should 

 pay one fox skin, and that the reindeer skin should be brought to the sta- 

 tion. The Eskimo breathed easier when he heard my decision, and when 

 he was told that he might now start for home and inform his companions 

 in regard to the result of the stealing, and that Oomalik (superintendent) 

 was fearfully angry on account of this event, he did not need to be told 

 twice, but started off like a whipped dog. The next day he returned, 

 bringing with him the reindeer skin and a fox skin and a couple of his 

 guests, one of whom understood a little English. 



The year before he had been in an Eskimo show on a trip in the 

 States. My verdict was repeated to them and a second reprimand was 

 delivered, whereuiion we gave them something to eat and let them 

 go home. During the following two weeks all the guilty parties, nine 

 in all, brought me a white fox skin apiece. Two were permitted to con- 

 tribute one fox skin together, as they were very poor and it being all 

 they had. Of course this was only a small fine, but it was felt to be 

 severe by these people, who hardly know what to do to satisfy their 

 empty stomachs, but it was regarded as the right thing to do to be 

 severe in punishing the first offense. This same Axsegroak found two 

 reindeer from Antisarlak's herd roaming over the mountains south of 

 Port Clarence. He could easily have shot and eaten both of these 

 animals without any risk of discovery, as he lived in a tent with his 

 family far from any other Eskimos, but he came to the station, and 

 relating what he had seen got his reward for doing so. 



A week after we had assumed the management of the herd we took 

 it about 3 miles east of the station and a fence was built near a small 

 brook, afterwards called Pen Creek, and the Lapps and the apprentices 

 were sent out to camp there. Since that time the herd and the camp 

 have been moved sixteen times. The dates of the various movings you 

 will doubtless find recorded in the log book, but I will here state that 

 camps Fos. 1, 2, and 3 are the autumn cami)s down to November; No. 4 

 is a winter camp until the middle of March, and the other twelve from 

 that time to date. The pastures examined in this connection vary in 

 quality more or less, the best ones being Nos. 8, 10, 11, 12; that is to say, 

 on the south side of Goweerook Eiver. Even better pastures with dry, 

 hard ground have possibly been found on the south side of Grantley 

 Harbor and on the southeast side ot Port Clarence. It is doubtless 

 one of the best pastures to be found in this vicinity. The purpose of 

 moving so frequently was, first, to give the herd change of pastures; 

 second, to examine and find the best pastures; third, to make the rein- 

 deer acquainted in a larger stretch of country so that they would not 

 so easily get lost in case some of them should happen to go astray. 

 A reindeer would more easily find its way back to the herd if it came 

 to a familiar place where it had been before. Fourth, and not least, 



