DOMESTICATED REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 41 



the assistance of the one who had caught her. She was finally thrown 

 down and held by one man sitting astride of her neck, and another 

 holding on to one each of her fore and hind feet. 



In lassoing a reindeer, a seal thong, 50 or 00 feet long, is used. A 

 piece of ivory is attached to one end, with a hole in it large enough to 

 permit the rope to slide through freely. It is then gathered up in much 

 the same manner as is the case in lassoing a steer, and thrown in about 

 the same way. Two or more herders will take a position about 30 feet 

 apart, and the herd is driven so as to pass between them. When the 

 one wanted approaches the lasso is thrown, and one or the other 

 usually succeeds in getting the loop over the horns, but sometimes one 

 or two legs get tangled up in it. 



A full-grown deer is not able to drag a man holding on to one end of 

 his rope very far before another herder comes to his relief, when, by a 

 series of overhand falls, they quickly get near enough to the head of 

 the deer to hold it until they can throw it by pulling its feet from under 

 it, or, if it will stand still, it is gradually made to drop to the ground 

 by one of them bearing his weight on its back. 



A reindeer plunges about considerably when caught, and if he is at 

 all vicious will strike with his fore feet, but the rope over his horns is 

 usually sufficient to prevent his striking with any accuracy, for he is 

 quickly thrown off his balance by a quick jerk. A reindeer rarely 

 attempts to use his horns, and the only danger of injury from them is 

 in getting so near as to be struck while he is plunging about. When 

 once a hold is had on the horns by a strong man, he is easily prevented 

 from doing any damage in this way. The only accident that occurred 

 to any of the herders while catching deer was to one of the Siberians, 

 whose nose was struck by one, and a slight scar will always remind 

 him of the occurrence. When a deer is once down, he is entirely con- 

 quered and lies as quietly as a kitten. 



When the female was thrown down, I was disappointed in the size 

 of her bag, for I found it would not contain probably exceeding a pint 

 of milk. The teats were not more than 1 inch in length, but would 

 doubtless become longer after nursing a fawn for a while, as I after- 

 wards observed was the case in others. 



I found it impossible to get any milk from her, and was not much 

 surprised at it, for she was doubtless holding it up from fright. After 

 several unsuccessful attempts, I gave it up, and this experience, with 

 one other of a reindeer nature later on in the season, convinced me 

 that successful milking of reindeer could not be accomplished until 

 they had become used to the process in a standing position and had 

 become thoroughly domesticated by feeding and handling. Our poor 

 accommodations and facilities for experimenting in the matter of seeing 

 what can be done with reindeer in this particular did not enable us to 

 give it the attention desired, but we hope to be able to do so more 

 thoroughly another spring. 



