80 REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF 



vailed to a considerable extent among those of the different villages 

 along the coast. They would suddenly stagger and reel about and 

 showed a disposition to be cross, biting any dog that came near them. 

 Finally they became so weak they could not stand, and they would lie 

 stretched out on the snow, biting themselves occasionally, and bleed 

 at the mouth. One dog that we lost bit his tail near the root so much 

 that the snow for quite a space about where he lay became spattered 

 with blood. In two instances we shot our dogs for fear they would 

 bite others, and they in turn would be attached by the same disease. 

 During my visit to Cape Prince of Wales dining the winter a number 

 of cases occurred similar to those which occurred at the station, and 

 most of the dogs died. I am told that it sometimes rages to such an 

 extent as to kill most of the dogs in the villages. 



When off duty the herders were set to work either at fishing, haul- 

 ing or cutting wood, or some other task. Most all the wood used at 

 the station both for fuel and for building purposes was hauled and cut 

 by the herders. It often occurred, however, that they could not do 

 anything but attend to the herding, especially at times when the weather 

 required one watch to remain with the herd beyond the usual hours. 



There was more or less illness among them, which required a change 

 in the watch, but it was never anything more serious than a bad cold, 

 and in a few days they were ready for duty again. 



In view of the probable continuance of this business and since in 

 a few years the herd will reach such numbers as to make it neces- 

 sary to brand the reindeer, we concluded to adopt a brand for the 

 station, and have selected that of cutting the left ear so as to form 

 the letter a V." This precaution is not necessary at present, since all 

 domestic reindeer in Alaska belong to the station; but the time will 

 doubtless come when other and private herds will exist in Arctic Alaska, 

 and the occasion for branding deer will then become not only proper 

 but necessary. Most of our herd have already been branded, and they 

 will all be before the end of the present month. Of course this year's 

 fawns will not be branded until they are one year old. 



If the time ever existed when this portion of Alaska was a fir-bear- 

 ing country, that time, judging from our observation of the past year, 

 has passed. The kind of furs found along the coast consists of the 

 white and red fox, the brown and grizzly bear, polar bear, lynx, mink, 

 and squirrel. 



In another part of my report I have given the names and locations 

 of seven villages, numbering about 1,000 persons. I think it safe to 

 say that in all that number there were not enough fur-bearing animals 

 killed during the past year, outside of the squirrel, to average one for 

 each person. Thus it will bo seen that if all the furs caught in the 

 section of the country covered by those people were purchased by one 

 individual, lie would not do enough business to pay for stocking and 

 keeping a trading post. 



