64 INTRODUCTION OF DOMPZSTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



driving deer could be procured and lor all then to start at once. 

 I took thi'ee sleds with me after two deer — one old sick deer and the 

 other one the poorest of the lot that had come from Unalakleet. 

 Such was my rigging up for the trip — certainly not very encouraging. 

 Nallogoroak was left behind to join the Lai)ps with his load of pro- 

 visions and tricky deer. After three hours' hard work I reached the 

 herd and with it Bals and the two Sara bo5's. The}^ had gotten into 

 a heavy forest of spruce, birch, and alder, through which we had to 

 cut our way for about a mile. 



For this work I came just in time, and at 1.30 p. m. we were 

 through at the foot of a big hill and small brush as far as we could 

 see in the direction we wanted to go. There we stopped for tea, 

 butter, and bread, and after a quick luncheon, Bals and I, with axes 

 in hand, started off either to find or to make our way tlii'ough the 

 brush. Some searching and some cutting made a fair road for a 

 couple of miles and enabled us to get out on one of the branches 

 of the Andreafski River to the east of the village. It was ah'eady 

 3 p. m. when we returned to the foot of the hill where the driving 

 deer and our sleds had been left. The herd was still up on the moun- 

 tains from which we had begun to make our way, so we concluded 

 it best to look for a camping place for the night aiid await the arrival 

 of Nallogoroak with the Lapps. As Nallogoroak had nearly all 

 our provisions on his sled, our sup[ er was very meager this evening. 

 Just at dusk I was up on the mountains to look if the ones waited 

 for had not come, but not one could be seen, nor a sound heard. 

 The two Sara boj^s shared Bals's and my own scant supper and have 

 now to sleep with us, the one in N.'s sleeping bag, the other in my 

 big deerskin parka and tucked down between his brother and myself. 

 Nallogoroak is certainly all right where he is with all his provisions 

 in the Lapps' company, but it is sad not to be able to make a better 

 day out of the first out. Delay after delay, and the precious time 

 passing without any results from our efforts. To-night we are not 

 more than about 6 or 7 miles away from their old camp, and not all 

 here, so naturally our to-morrow, if God grants us it, will also be 

 lost to a certain extent. The day has been calm and cloudy till 

 near e\wning, when it cleared up under a light easterly breeze, which 

 is genth' shaking the sides of our dwelling, just sufficient to remind 

 us of the fact that we live in a tent. About 8 p. m. the moon and 

 stars are bright, making it a beautiful night to travel. Maybe the 

 rest of our company will arrive sometime during the night. 



Thursday, 'November 26 (in the morning). — At 3.30 this morning 

 I was up and started the fire and prepared what little we had for 

 breakfast. This minute — 6.30 a. m. — Bals started off in search 

 of a way again, while I stay at home till daylight and then intend 

 to go in a different direction. The boys are up on the mountains 



