DOMESTICATED REINDEER INTO 1LASKA. 47 



why bulls could not be effectively broken and about as easily handled 

 The same can doubtless be said of females, bat perhaps the occasion 



would seldom occur when one of this sex would be required for work ; 

 and her best sphere in life is doubtless for breeding purposes. 



The favorite manner of driving- deer among the Siberians, and the 

 only one used at the station, is singly or two abreast. Driving one 

 ahead of another is something our herders know nothing of. and 

 although such is the fashion, I understand, among the Laplanders, I 

 can see no advantage in it, unless in a heavily timbered country, or 

 where the road traveled is narrow. Indeed, a driver can not use a 

 whip to advantage unless he can reach the reindeer with it at short 

 range, and I apprehend they are more easily controlled when they are 

 abreast of each other. This argument will not hold good for draft 

 purposes, however, for often they can pull better one ahead of another; 

 and when the driver is walking beside his load he can easily get to a 

 contrary deer and make him do his share of the work. 



The harness used is the same for draft as for driving, and, to say the 

 least, is of a style that an ingenious Yankee could improve on very 

 much. 



No bit is used, and the animal is controlled by a noose slipped over 

 the nose, resting on the forehead in front of the horns, and another 

 piece is passed back of the horns and confined to the one in front. 

 The rein is attached to the right side of this headgear or headstall, 

 and on the other end is a loop large enough to slip over the hand and 

 rest on the wrist. 



The sled is drawn by means of a rope attached to a strap which 

 is passed over the neck and rests on the shoulders, very much the 

 same as a breast strap is used on a horse, only one end of the strap 

 passes under the breast and between the forelegs. The ends of this 

 breast-strap come together and hold a single tug which goes back to 

 the sled on the right side of the deer. It will thus be seen that the 

 off or right-hand deer travels on a line between the runners of the 

 sled, and the near or left-hand deer travels entirely to one side. 



In the case of young deer, or until they have become used to being 

 driven, each wears a sort of girth from one of which is a rope, the 

 other end being tied to the halter of the opposite deer, and the girth 

 rope of the other deer is tied to the girth of his mate. This is for 

 the purpose of tying them together. The harness is made entirely 

 from the skin of the hair seal and is stronger than leather. A com- 

 plete harness will weigh about 2 pounds. 



No shafts or pole is used, and the sled is close to the heels of the 

 deer, or back when the tugs are drawn taut, according to the nature of 

 the road over which the deer are traveling. 



The style of sled used with reindeer is very similar to that used with 

 dogs for light loads. It stands about 1 foot nigh, 18 inches wide, and 

 8 or 10 feet long. The runners are made to turn up in front so as to 



