74 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



ones, so that the reindeer finally had to yield and snbrnit patiently to 

 the barks of the dogs. At first the lierd conld not be driven in any 

 given direction with the dog. All the dogs conld do was to keep the 

 herd together. The apprentices seemed well pleased with these dogs 

 and apparently liked them much better than they liked the Lapps. 

 Being asked how they liked the Lapps after having been with them on 

 watch the first night, they answered that they liked the dogs very 

 well, as they now did tlie running in ])lace of themselves. Now the 

 apprentices are unwilling to get the herd without a dog, as the dogs 

 have perfect control of the herd, a result gained after two months' 

 barking. The herd can now be driven in any direction desired, straight 

 or in a circle. 



It has given us much trouble to keep the blood of these dogs pure 

 from mixture, as there is an endless number of dogs and races of dogs 

 in this region. So far we have had complete success. The only mix- 

 ture that has taken place is with a Scotch collie she dog brought by 

 you. The offspring of these two breeds of dogs promise well. There 

 are now two of these bastards being trained with the herd, and they 

 ai^pear to be very peaceable and careful with the animals. Only one of 

 the collies brought here is kept at the station. The others, together 

 with the half-breed collie and Eskimo dogs, were intended to be killed; 

 but when Mr. W. T. Lopp wanted them they were all sent to him — that 

 is, to Cape Prince of Wales. The females of these were sent back to 

 the station in the course of the winter to be paired with the Lapp dogs, 

 aiul in due time they were returned to ^Iv. W. T, Lopp, who now has a 

 sufficient number of dogs of the right kind Avith his herd. One pair 

 of the Lapp pups were sent to Antisarlook's herd and one pair are now" 

 being trained to go with the first herd to be sent away. In addition to 

 this, we still have a few pups that will be given to the apprentices, and 

 we will continue in this manner until everybody is supplied. But it 

 is doubtful whether the apprentices and the other station will be able 

 to keep these dogs from becoming wolves by getting mixed with the 

 Eskimo dogs, for the ability to do herding is lost by this kind of mix- 

 ture. The offspring become carniverous and not herding dogs. This 

 is to be proven by the half-breed collies and Eskimo dogs that were 

 here, but there will always be an opportunity of getting full-blooded 

 dogs from this station as long as we have full-blooded stock. 



ST.ED DOGS. 



We could find no use for these on our arrival here, and consequently 

 decided to sell them, but partly on account of the assurance of the 

 people here who were acquainted v.ith the character of our winters, 

 it was presumed that we might find these dogs useful in the course of 

 the winter, and so we kept four of them until the time came when they 

 might be needed. Meanwhile, as the winter passed and no occasion 

 was found on which the reindeer could not be used, the sled dogs, 



