80 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC KEINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



I left the station October 14, Teller October 17, and arrived in Seattle 

 October 28. 



wScliool was kept regularly all winter and spring, report of which 

 has been sent you b}^ the teacher. Miss Naas. On my return, July 3, 

 I noticed great progress, especially in ability to speak English. Carv- 

 ing and drawing was also taught, besides sewing, housework, etc. 



The health of all has been good. In June^, 2 children, a girl 15 

 months and a boy 4 years old, brother and sister, were taken into the 

 home, the mother dying from consumption, and the father, a white 

 man (they were legall}" married), gave them into our care. 



Wood is now so scarce that we have to depend entu'ely on coal for 

 fuel. In February, 166 female deer were delivered from the herd 

 at Cape Prince of Wales and accepted. Two females broke loose 

 from their fastening before the}^ were turned over to Mr. Howick and 

 ran back to the Cape herd, making the total 166 instead of 16S. 



Through Mr. Frank Kleinschmidt the mission o))tained the con- 

 tract to carry the mail from Teller to Marys Igloo and from Teller to 

 Cape Prince of Wales. The round trip to each place is al)out 140 

 miles. Serawlook, a mission apprentice, made 14 round trips to 

 Marys Igloo and 10 round trips to the Cape, or about 3,300 miles, 

 from November 1 to June l,with reindeer, generally driving double, 

 or with two deer to one sled. The majority of the white people ridi- 

 culed the idea of reindeer bringing the mail through on time or com- 

 peting with dogs, also of having a native drive the mail. Results 

 were a surprise, even to thos(^ who believed in the deer. He always 

 made good time and on many trips exceeded the best time made by 

 crack dog teams under the most favorable conditions of travel. One 

 round trip was made in twentj-seven hours, three hours faster than 

 the best dog team has ever made it in the last five winters. Some 

 trips were made in thirty and thirtA^-two hours. The longest time 

 required 36 hours. 



The trips to the Cape were also made in all kinds of weather and 

 alwa^'s under unfavoral^le conditions of travel. Scarcity of moss 

 along the coast, rough ice, and heavy trails, make a detour into the 

 mountains necessary. The average time on this route was four days 

 for the round trip. 



During the winter Sekeoglook's apprentice, Ehrnak, was discharged 

 on account of disobedience and unfitness for becoming a deerman. 

 Kozetuk was also suspended for disobedience, but as he promised to 

 become a good deerman (he had served three and a half years) and 

 always been a good worker, he was on my retiu-n to the station, on 

 promise of obedience in the future, again taken in as an apprentice. 



I arrived at the station July 3 on the Charles Nelson, and will 

 remain at the station until the beginning of September. 



Mr. Ludvig Larson came in with me and w^ill take my place and in 



