100 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



coal mine on the Kiigruk River. At once we returned to Golofnin, 

 and on the 27th of Februar}^ IS deer with as many sleds were stretched 

 out on Fish River at the mouth of Neukluk. Two thousand seven 

 hundred pounds of oats made up our first loads, together with our 

 camp outfit and provision, making about 200 pounds per deer. And 

 so our journey began. The snow was deep and loose on Fish River, 

 making it very hard traveling, and storm followed upon stomr, so that 

 out of the ten da3's it took us to reach Chicago Creek nearly four were 

 spent idly at camp. The deer travel just as well and almost better in 

 bad weather, but we could not see where to go, and for two days it 

 was so fearfull}" cold that had we been out it would have been an 

 impossibility not to freeze. 



Upon reaclung our destination, the 8th of March, we unloaded at 

 once and began the preparations for an earl}'^ break-up the next day, 

 and in the morning of March 9 the two Golofnin herders, who were 

 to continue freigliting, were sent back with their 14 deer and as many 

 sleds, while Tautook, the herder, Pjarak Rock, our guide, and nwself, 

 with four deer, continued our way toward Candle, Kewalik, and Cape 

 Blossom. 



Saturday, March 12, we safely arrived at that place in good condi- 

 tion, in spite of a fearful storm which had been ragmg. Some men 

 that traveled with dogs had been on their way from Candle nine days, 

 having been laid up by snowstorms unable to travel, and arrived at 

 Kotzebue thirty-five hours later than we. Deer are the best. 



The deer were staked out for the night and we ourselves were well 

 taken care of by Mr. and Mrs. Dana Thomas, who are in charge of the 

 Kotzebue Mission. A very unfortunate tlung happened there, in that 

 some dogs had during the night of our arrival gone out to the deer 

 and killed one belonging to Tautook. This is the only accident met 

 with on all my travels durmg the season. 



Monday, the 14th of March, after a visit to the school, we intended 

 to go to the herd, but the weather changed our plans. Instead of 

 traveling we spent the day very pleasanti}^, much the same as on 

 Sunday in the school. In the forenoon the work of the school was 

 enjoyed and in the afternoon we devoted between two and a half to 

 three hours to a talk on the subject of hygiene, to which not only the 

 school children were invited but the grown population of the village 

 as well. The evening was given to Rock for preaching to his own 

 people and in their own language. Hardly anj^tliing could be of 

 greater pleasure to a servant of the Lord than to see with what an 

 interest and eagerness every word #emed to be grasped by liis 

 audience. 



The following morning we left the mission for the Kotzebue herd, 

 which was on the mainland about 25 or 30 miles away. Tile morning 

 was bright and beautiful, but it was hard traveling because of a lot of 



