DOMESTICATED REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 57 



in one of the tents, but when the frame building was covered were 

 removed to it. They might have gathered dampness while in the tent, 

 and, if so, removing them to the frame building did not improve them 

 in the least, but doubtless assisted iu the decay that subsequently 

 followed. 



In August last we also constructed a dugout something after the 

 plan of the one built for ourselves. We had no lumber with which to 

 lay a floor or to make a frame front, so logs were used. This was turned 

 over to the herders, of whom there were eight, and in it all of them ate 

 and all but three slept, including the wife of one of the herders and her 

 two children. The others slept in the living room of the frame build- 

 ing, and it was also used as a sort of loafing place for the herders when 

 off duty and for women and men when repairing, slatting, or working 

 on skins for the use of the station. 



Fortunately we were able to obtain from the Bear a cook stove, taken 

 from an abandoned vessel in the Arctic, and with this the dugout 

 used by the herders was made comfortable, and upon it their food was 

 prepared. 



It was the intention at first to have a part of the frame building set 

 aside for the herders to occupy, but there was no lumber for a floor, 

 and nearly all the space was taken up with supplies, stores, etc., and it 

 was neariy as cold as on the outside. Besides, the boxing put in 

 around the eaves was made of rough lumber, leaving cracks through 

 which the wind whistled and the snow blew, sometimes covering the 

 goods stored inside. 



There was a constant demand by the herders for one thing or another 

 in connection with their clothing. A stitch had to be taken here, or a 

 piece of skin was worn out there; a boot sole had avoiu through here 

 or a mitten torn there. One or two women were occasionally employed 

 to do the mending, but after awhile a woman was kept purposely for 

 this kind of work, and her husband employed on and off, as he was 

 required to for work on skins. 



It has been our practice at the station to keep regular hours in the 

 matter of meals, of which three were prepared each day; breakfast at 

 7, dinner at 12, and supper at 6. We seldom retired before 11 or 12 

 o'clock at night, and were up in time to see that the herders were punc- 

 tual in taking their watch at the herd. 



Early rising is a common thing with the natives, even in winter. 

 They retire soon after dark at that season, but are awake bright and 

 early. As soon as the days began to lengthen they were up with the 

 first peep of day, and never ceased to annoy us by coining to our door 

 before we were up. In the long days of summer they did not seem to 

 be able to distinguish between the hours of day and those of night, 

 and many times we have been routed out of a sound slumber to answer 

 some trifling call at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. It is a common prac- 

 tice for the children to be playing about at the same hour of the night, 



