DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 95 



Marysville, Wash., March 24, 1894. 

 Dr. Sheldon Jackson. 



Honored Sir : I avail myself of this opportunity to inform you that I was the first 

 person who read your advertisement in "Washington Posfcen," and being obliged to 

 leave my home for some length of time, I requested O. Bergeth to open the correspond- 

 ence with you, find I am the person who, in his name, and from him, wrote the first 

 letter to you. The only and true reason for our application was that I was sure of 

 proving through the best and most reliable sources that we are fully competent and 

 experienced in the care of reindeer. We lived in the valleys of Haelgeland, where 

 annually thousands of reindeer are pasturing, which we faithfully and skillfully 

 attended during the harvest and spring season, and we also would settle down for the 

 summer in those regions and build tents and inclosures for the herds. 



The following rein-Laplanders lived there, viz, Nils Johnson (Swedish Laplander), 

 with somewhat over 1,000 reindeer; Kressen Kressensen, with a smaller herd; Sjul 

 Larson, Mathison, Klemmet, and Salinius, and many others. We being almost as 

 skillful in using the "steer" as the Laplanders, these would often take us along to 

 the highlands (mountains) on search for the reindeer that had gone astray. It was, 

 indeed, no child's play to be overtaken by a snowstorm, and we were forced to bury 

 ourselves under the snow until the storm had subsided. I only wish to mention our 

 experience in the management of reindeer, be it during the winter, spring, the 

 calving season, to look after the young calves (which is the most important) during 

 the summer, and when the reindeer, following their instinct in search for food, are 

 frequently difficult to manage. Further, the skill required of herders in swimming 

 the herds across wide sounds from isle to isle, and knowing the proper time when to 

 do this, according to the climatic conditions; to search for the reindeer that sepa- 

 rated from the herd, small or large, cows or bucks. Next to a trained Laplander, I 

 may conscientiously say that you hardly can find anybody in this country who is 

 better fitted for the business than we. There is no tract of land in the entire Nor- 

 way where there are more reindeer found than where we lived. 



Well, excuse me and my long letter. I have learnt to love the reindeer j ust as much 



as a horse, a cow, and a sheep, and I know that persons are required that are used to 



the hardships and fatigues of country life in order to fill such a place. During the 



severe storms it is in fact more necessary to be on foot than at any other time, and 



people who have not even owned a cow, and have been used to city life or the sea, 



can never be good reindeer herders. The herders should be temperate, and not carry 



home big mugs full of beer from the saloons. 



Wishing your herds the best luck, I am, Edw. Norum, 



Marysville, Wash. 

 Box 14135. 



Bozeman, April SO, 1894. 

 Dear Sir: About two or three days ago some parties told me that a few men are 

 wanted for Alaska to take charge of the reindeer. I have had much experience in 

 that line, and, as a little boy, I lived among the Laplanders and observed the rein- 

 deer and their raising from all points of view. How they are managed and cared 

 for during the calving period; how to prevent the wolves from scattering the herds 

 or from killing the young calves. The reindeer calves must be suckled by the 

 mother cow for at least one mouth; this length of time depends much on the tem- 

 perature of the season. The mode of weaning the calves, what we call "Kjipling," 

 consists in preparing two wooden sticks pointed at each end and flat in shape, and 

 further provided with necessary string fastenings that are slipped over their heads; 

 this experiment is carried on for only one-half day at a time. The reindeer should, 

 however, during the weaning of the calves be on tracts where plenty of good, tender 

 moss species are growing. During the summer they feed on fine grass and rein- 

 moss, which specially thrives upon the mountain ranges, even in winter. But as 



