128 REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF 



food in times past, and the large number of whalebones you see scat- 

 tered about the village corroborates their testimony. But in the 

 season of 1889 they secured only 3 small calves; in 1890, none; and 

 in 1891, only 1, not much larger than a well-grown beluga. 



Again, it is a well established fact that American vessels almost 

 exterminated the walrus in their relentless pursuit of them some six 

 years ago. Last spring we hunted walrus with the natives, and there- 

 fore know whereof we speak. The season virtually lasted only three 

 days; after that only an occasional walrus was seen, and in all only 

 109 were killed to supply these 139 Eskimo with food and with skins 

 for their umiaks. If this is repeated (and even worse may and will 

 probably happen) we can not see how the people are to live. There 

 are 51 umiaks in the village, and each umiak requires an average of 

 at least 4 walrus hides to cover it. The only wood we have here — 

 driftwood — can not be used for making boats, and without umiaks, 

 by means of which to attend to their seal nets, to hunt seals, whales, 

 and walruses, and to go on their other fishing and hunting expeditions, 

 these people would surely perish. 



The number of fish caught here in summer is so insignificant as not 

 to be worth taking into consideration. Nine-tenths of the people are 

 forced to go up the coast 150 or 200 miles in order to catch fish enough 

 to live through the summer and have a few for the beginning of winter. 

 As canneries multiply fish will probably become still scarcer. 



There is no adequate supply of land animals for food. Not a single 

 Arctic bear has been seen for years. Only 19 Polar bears were killed 

 last year, and that was an unusually large number; only 5 white 

 foxes, 3 red foxes, 1 mink, and about 45 ptarmigan were killed during 

 the whole year; and the number of ducks secured is a mere trifle. 



The destitution from which these people have suffered may beinferred 

 from the fact that they eat even gulls, loons, and the blood and entrails 

 of seals, walrus, and other game, often raw. Nothing is wasted, and 

 no people are more industrious in the pursuit of a livelihood. 



In view of these facts, we hail with delight the proposed scheme for 

 introducing domesticated reindeer here — a plan that we often discussed 

 between ourselves last winter and had intended to recommend if you 

 had not anticipated us. 



Both from what we have seen ourselves (on our exploring tour, under- 

 taken for the purpose) and from what the natives tell us, we feel sure 

 that ample pasturage for a large herd can be found within a radius of 

 5 or 6 miles from the village. The tundra will support them admirably 

 in summer and the sheltered mountain valleys in winter. 



The old men told us that wild reindeer were abundant here in their 

 youth. That fact alone would seem to be conclusive as to the question 

 of the fitness of this locality for the purpose contemplated. It is to be 

 noted, too, that all the information we have given, as coming from the 

 natives, was given to us before we said anything to them about the 



