INT.RODUCTIt)N OF DOMESTIC) REINUKKK INTO ALASKA. 05 



to feather the herd and to see if our company lias not conic and 

 camped somewhere in our vicinity. As I sat in the tent wondering 

 what had become of the herders or what the reason might be for 

 such a delay and waste of time, a well-known voice from the outside 

 was heard. It was Nallogoroak, who, in the early morning, took a 

 stroll about in the wilderness to see if he could find Bals and me. 

 He had, in Sara's and Spein's companj^, arrived during the nightly 

 hours, but had taken another divide, so they had come down to the 

 river about H miles below us. There they had made camp and all 

 was well. The deer which went to the mountains was caught and the 

 one which fussed so in the morning was gradually trained and became 

 a good deer. So now, on Thanksgiving Day morning, the number is 

 full in both people and deer. 



Thursday, November 26 (in the evening). — The morning promised 

 a beautiful day and the promise has been made good. No clouds 

 have hid the sun from our view to-day, and no wind of any kind 

 has been felt. 



Nallogoroak, Michael, and myself went after the herd where it was 

 grazing before Bals's return. But in spite of all rushing and hurrying, 

 it got to be 10 o'clock before we reached Sara's camp with the herd 

 and our four sled deer and loads. There everything was perfect com- 

 fort and ease, joy and happiness, as if a thought of moving had never 

 entered their minds. At that place we now took two more sled deer, 

 and at 11 a. m. Bals, Nallogoroak, Michael, Martin, and I started to 

 move the herd toward the mountains east of xVndreafski delta, at a 

 point where the Yukon rolls its w^aters just at the base of the moun- 

 tain. It was c{uite a task, since several miles of the way had to be 

 cut thi'ough bushes. What inade it specially hard to find the way 

 was that the country is so level and the bushes so high that one can 

 not look over and pick the best way. Bals and myself in the lead 

 with an ax, each went along breaking the trail. The herd followed, 

 and closely after it came Nallogoroak with our loads. Moving 

 slowly but surely along, we reached the foot of the mountains, a dis- 

 tance of about 7 miles, at 3 o'clock p. m. There we stopped to have 

 a well-earned cup of tea with some bread and butter. After lunch we 

 traveled again, in the moonlight, another 5 miles, and at 6 o'clock we 

 made camp just on the bank of the mighty Yukon. We have not 

 had a glimpse of Sara and Spein with aU their sleds until this moment. 

 They^ having followed our trail are now, nearly 8 p. m.. making their 

 camp beside us. Yes, this is the day our friends in the States enjoj^ 

 their delicious turkey. We feasted on a can of roast beef for Thanks- 

 giving dinner, and I declare that a better dinner could not be served 

 in the most luxurious dwelling in our land than this one enjo3-ed 

 in an 8 by 10 tent put up on the bank of the Yukon for tliis festive 

 occasion. 



