REINDEER IN ALASKA 107 



in the annual reports of the superintendents of the herds 

 shows that there were, June 30, 1913, 47,266 Reindeer in the 

 62 Alaskan herds, or a net increase of 23 per cent during the 

 fiscal year. This is considered a fair rate of increase, especially 

 since nearly 5,000 Reindeer were killed for food and skins 

 during the year. Only 3,853 of the Reindeer are owned by 

 the Government; 5,047 are owned by missions; 7,834 by 

 Lapps; and the remaining 30,532 are owned by 797 Eskimos 

 and Indians, whose income from the Reindeer industry during 

 the fiscal year was $66,966. The Reindeer belonging to these 

 natives have an estimated value of $763,300. The Govern- 

 ment is planning to go out of the Reindeer business as fast as it 

 can train natives for individual ownership, the policy being to 

 encourage independence and initiative among the native pop- 

 ulation. Distribution of Reindeer is in charge of the United 

 States school-teachers, and it is expected that the Govern- 

 ment will dispose of all its Reindeer within the next four 

 years. (U. S. Bureau of Education, 1914.) 



On the whole, the systematic introduction of Reindeer 

 along the northwest coast of Alaska — now almost barren of 

 wild life fit for human food — is one of the most humane and 

 sensible measures ever undertaken for the children of the 

 cold. If this industry is further fostered and diligently pur- 

 sued, its ultimate .value in the promotion of the moral and 

 material welfare of the Eskimo is beyond calculation. The 

 multiplication of the herds in the hands of private owners 

 means a great increase in the animal food supply, less depend- 

 ence upon the foods of civilization, a greater measure of gen- 

 eral prosperity and contentment, and, in the end, far less 



