72 REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF 



They were compelled to observe certain lliscipliue, and it was a 

 pretty hard matter for a man whose life had been spent in going- and 

 coming at will, and working when he liked, or being idle when the 

 notion seized him, to be obligeil to rise at certain hours, to goto school 

 regularly, and to observe certain rules about his dress and house, as 

 they were promulgated to him. 



In one matter we were very strict, namely, the instruction of the 

 native herders by the Siberians in every branch of the business. The 

 feature of throwing the lariat was particularly enjoined upon them, and 

 every day when the weather permitted they were obliged to practise 

 for an hour or two. This was also encouraged among the boys in the 

 village, and as a substitute for deer one of the boys held a set of deer 

 horns on his head and would run backwards and forwards until he 

 was caught, when another boy would take his place. The result is that 

 there are a number of the youngsters who can throw the lasso very 

 nicely, and two of the four native herders have become very proficient 

 in it. 



In the early part of the season we began to look around for a suita- 

 ble native for herder who had a wife who could do the cooking for the 

 rest. Men enough could be found, but their wives did not appear to be 

 the right kind for such work. Finally, one was found who answered 

 the purpose, but he did not want to take the ten deer for two years' 

 service, the same paid to the others. It was finally thought best to hire 

 him outright for one year at a salary of 850, and it proved to be a 

 most excellent selection. He was attentive to his duties and industri- 

 ous about the station. His wife did all the cooking, and another year 

 would make her quite proficient in this kind of work, for toward the 

 end of the year she was taught to make both yeast and baking-powder 

 bread. 



The man became a close student of the deer and seemed to absorb 

 it all, even down to the minutest detail, and the Siberians found it a 

 pleasant task to instruct him. I am in hopes next year he will be will- 

 ing to come under the usual rule of receiving deer for his work, at the 

 end of which time he will be competent, I believe, to take charge of a 

 herd himself. 



Our force of herders remained intact throughout the year, with two 

 exceptions. Among those first engaged was a native who had a half- 

 breed Kussian wife. She had been among the whites both at St. 

 Michaels and Point Barrow, and knew just enough English to make mis- 

 chief among the natives. She behaved in such a manner that the only 

 thing to do to avert dissatisfaction among the natives was to discharge 

 her husband, which was promptly done. 



The other case was that of a native belonging to our village who took 

 sick early in the winter and at times was so low that he was thought to 

 be dying. He finally improved in health, but not so as to be able to 

 return to his duties. His wants in the way of food were largely sup- 



