DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 83 



The Laplanders who went into Grantley Harbor and up to the lakes exploring 

 returned after staying away six days. They reported that good winter pasturage 

 was found, and also a splendid place where the herd could be kept in spring when 

 calving. Moss and grass were found everywhere and are more plentiful than they ever 

 had seen before. If we get time before winter sets in, a dugout will be erected at 

 the east end of Grantley Harbor for winter camp. The herd is now kept about 4 

 miles east of the station, where the herders are in camp. Their spare time is this 

 week spent in cutting grass for padding in boots during winter. I think the reason 

 why the Eskimos wear out their footwear so quickly is because they use no padding 

 and do not tan their leather with bark. 



It is very wise not to send small herds to other planes before the main herd counts 

 at least 1,500 or 2,000, for the reason that if it should happen that the Siberian deer 

 men should refuse to sell more deer, you would, by taking good care of it, have suf- 

 ficient number to distribute about 500 deer a year from the increase without reducing 

 the efficiency of the central herd, and thus the whole of arctic Alaska could be sup- 

 plied with deer. 



Deer will increase faster when in a large herd than in a small one, as a larger num- 

 ber of the fawns can be saved among many deer than among a few. Again, my expe- 

 rience is that it is not wise to let an apprentice start a herd for himself after bein<>- 

 only two years at the station. To learn to be a good herder or deer man takes as 

 much time as to learn any other trade. It is not only to learn how to throw a lasso, 

 how to drive or keep good watch while with the herd ; but the main part of it is to 

 know how to take care of the fawns so the herd can increase, to select a good shel- 

 tered place to keep the herd when the fawns are born, to know how to make use of 

 every particle of the deer so that nothing is thrown away, and to learn to think and 

 act quickly in an emergency, and stand any hardship when necessary to save the 

 herd. All this may be looked at by outsiders as soon learned, but it is not so. It is 

 only acquired by attention and long practice. 



Here I will say that in Lapland as a rule a man is not trusted with the charge of 

 a herd before he has been at least five years among deer and deer men, and even then 

 many are not trusted. Many never become able to take care of a herd on account of 

 carelessness or other reasons. There are differences among herders as well as among 

 other people. Some take more interest in their work than others, therefore no rules 

 can be set about the time needed. From what I have observed during my short stay 

 here, I can say that we have some apprentices that will never be good deer men, and 

 others again that will be splendid. The former are too slow, and after trying them 

 another mouth or two with the same result, they will be sent off and others given 

 their places. 



As I have been so pressed with the work around the station in order to be ready 

 to meet the winter, I have had little time to study the boys, but from what I have 

 already seen 1 can say the above. 



We have started a log house 16 by 30 feet for the herders; two of the Laplanders, 

 two Eskimos, my father, and myself are working at it. A crew of seven men are up 

 the lagoon after more logs, and as soon as the herders' house is finished we will start 

 on a schoolbouse, but I do not know what we shall have for floor and roof boards 

 as we have not any boards at all. We will probably have to make boards of drift 

 logs. 



Very respectfully, Wm. A. Kjellmann, 



Superintendent. 

 Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 



United States General Agent of Education in Alaska. 



