DOMESTICATED REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 161 



As to my character and responsibility, I will refer you to Congressman II. E. 

 Boen, from Minnesota, now in Washington, D. C, or State Senator Louis Foss, of 

 Tacoma, State of Washington. They have known me for years. 

 Hoping for au answer at an early date, I remain, yours, truly, 



C. TANGEN, 

 Stcilacoom Post-Office, Fierce County, Wash. 

 Sheldon Jackson, Esq., 



Washington, D. C. 



Richmond, Wash., January G, 1S94. 

 Dear Sin: Have seen in my newspaper that you want a few Laplanders to go to 

 Alaska to take care of some reindeer. I am a Laplander, have lived in this country 

 6ince 1880, am able to talk English better than I can write. I am 36 years old. I 

 can't say anything about wages before I hear how it is with board and the necessary 

 outfit. I will say this much: you ought to have some of the Laplander dogs; without 

 them one can't do much. If you should wish to get some of those valuable dogs 

 I am ready to give you all the information possible. 



To take care of reindeer and to train the reindeer you ought to have one or two 

 Laplanders fresh from Lapland, with their dogs, and other things. 

 Yours, truly, 



A. N. Stokes, 

 Richmond Post-Office, King County, Wash. 

 Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 



Bureau of Education, 



Washington, D. C. 



Redmyer, Cook County, Minn., 



January 9, 1894. 



Honorarle Sir: I wrote a letter to you the 5th instant, in which I applied for a 

 position as foreman to take care of reindeer; but as I did not show my ability for 

 such a duty, I thought I would tell you more about myself. If this position should 

 be placed in my hands, I shall call your attention to the selection of two Laplanders 

 and four dogs. The dogs must be of the kiud used by Laplanders, which I think I 

 can recommend or furnish from Norway. In the summer the reindeer have to be 

 kept close to the seacoast or on au island near by, as they like the salt water, and 

 on this island is generally to be found fine grass, which is saturated with sea air. 

 Also they will be protected from the wolves and flies. They are easily overcome 

 with heat, and the sea air will protect them from that also. There must be two men 

 night and day watching them in order to make them as tame as possible. In the 

 summer the reindeer is made to pack all the provisions to the place where the men 

 may be located. I understand how to do it, also how much each reindeer can carry. 

 In the fall, before the snow comes, they must be taken back in the valley behind 

 mountains, or to a valley where there are high ridges around, and there has to be 

 lots of food or moss for them to live on over the winter, which place should be located 

 in the summer, thereby saving lots of trouble. The provisions can be hauled up by 

 reindeer on toboggans or cherist (Lapland name). It takes two good men to handle 

 twelve reindeer, a raidy, with toboggnns, when they are game or "hilhass." The 

 dark gray reindeer arc, more game ai: 1 can protect themselves better against the 

 wolf than white reindeer. If I knew how many reindeer there were I could tell you 

 what you needed for the whol*e outfit. 



I think it would be well to go up to Alaska and find a good place for the reindeer 

 before taking them up there. As to the salary or wages, I could not say, as I do not 

 g, Ex. 79 \\ 



