18 REPORT ON INTRODUCTION OF 



To make this express possible it is essential that the reindeer shall 

 be widely distributed throughout all northern Alaska, and to accom- 

 plish this in the near future will require some more rapid method of 

 securing the animals. 



A purchase station in Siberia. — The experience of the past three years 

 has demonstrated the fact that the present system of purchasing deer 

 is too slow and tedious. The season when the ice conditions are favor- 

 ably on the coast of Siberia is usually confined to about six weeks in 

 July and August. The ship visits a village in the neighborhood of a 

 small herd, and sometimes a week is consumed in securing a load. As 

 a result, notwithstanding constant diligence during the few weeks that 

 could be devoted to it by the cutter Bear, we only succeeded in pur- 

 chasing, in 1892, 171; in 1893, 124, and in 1894, 120 head of deer. At 

 this rate of increase it will take many years to accomplish the purposes 

 of the Government. What is now necessary is some method by which 

 the deer can be procured in large numbers. If, instead of delaying 

 the ship while tedious negotiations are pending, some one could be sent 

 on in advance to make the purchases and have the animals gathered 

 ready for shipment, it would greatly facilitate matters. Instead of 

 transporting 100 or 200 head a season, there is no reason why 1,000 

 should not be secured. 



Last season a movement was made in this direction by Captain Healy 

 detailing Lieut. C. M. White and a seaman and sending them up 

 the coast to negotiate for deer. This experiment was not very success- 

 ful. Although Lieutenant White secured the promise of a large num- 

 ber, yet when a ship came along to collect them, many of the owners 

 backed down and failed to deliver according to promise. 



I think, however, that if, with the consent of the Eussian Govern- 

 ment, a party could be placed on the Siberian coast in the fall with a 

 supply of trade goods, and left through the winter to barter with the 

 deer men, a large number of animals could be secured. 



With a supply store within reach, the deer men would come as often 

 as their necessities required, and in the place of money (of which they 

 have no knowledge) barter deer in exchange for supplies. As the deer 

 came in from time to time they could be made into a station herd, and 

 Siberians employed to herd them. The following summer, being gath- 

 ered into one place, the ship would have nothing to do but to transport 

 them, which could be easily done. Such a course might not meet 

 expectations, but in the absence of some better plan I would like to 

 see it tried, and therefore respectfully recommend it to your favorable 

 consideration. 



Columbian Exposition. — The reindeer exhibit made by the Bureau of 

 Education was awarded a diploma by the World's Columbian Exposi- 

 tion at Chicago. (Appendix, p. 84.) In this connection I have placed 

 in the Appendix the official report on reindeer made by Dr. S. S. Lof- 

 strom, actuary of the royal Swedish statistical central bureau, World's 

 Columbian Exposition, 1893. (Aj)pendix, p. 93.) 



