162 REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OP 



know Low expensive the provisions are up there. I suppose it is very high, hut £s 

 there is lots of game, and fish, it is not necessary to buy much of that kind. I told 

 you in my first letter that I was over 50 years old, hut I am a man in good health 

 and can stand lots of hardships, and such a life would agree with me. I hope that 

 I may get this position. Please let me know soon. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



Henry J. Redmyer, 

 Palisade, Lake County, Minn. 

 Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 



Bureau of Education, Washington, D. G. 



Audubon, January 12, 1S94. 



Dear Sir: In reply to your, request in an advertisement concerning reindeer 

 herdsmen wanted for Alaska, I address these lines to you with an inquiry if you 

 have already been supplied with men who are experienced in this pursuit. Iu a 

 negative case, I should like to accept such a position, as I have had a practical 

 experience of six years in Lapmarken, Sweden. The reindeer prefer the mountainous, 

 wooded regions, and live principally on moss, especially on specimens growing upon 

 fir and pine trees; during the summer they will feed on leaves and grass. They do 

 not like warm weather, and prefer the colder climates. When in search for food 

 the Laplanders use snow-skates in traversing the wood-overgrown tracts as well as 

 when they try to bring together the scattered herds. For the latter purpose it is 

 necessary to have well-trained dogs. For transportation purposes the Laplanders 

 use sleighs, so-called "akjas," that are dragged by means of a rope, one end of 

 which is fastened to the "akja" and the other around the neck of the reindeer; a 

 second rope, for guiding, is fastened to the head of the animal. A Laplander's habi- 

 tation consists of a tent which has an opening at the top to let the smoke escape; a 

 chain descends from this opening, and a cooking-pot is fastened to it, in which the 

 daily meals are prepared. May and .June are the season when the reindeer have 

 calves, and then inclosures are erected by the Laplanders, within which the cows 

 arc milked. I am 26 years old, and have never been sick as long as I remember. 

 I leave it to you, sir, to determine about the wages, as you have a better judgment 

 of the conditions in Alaska. Please let me know if you wish the reindeer to be 

 herded in the manner of the Laplanders; if board is provided or not, and I would 

 ask traveling expenses to be paid. I have only been one year in this country and 

 am not able to speak English. 



Nils Lust, 

 Audubon, Becker County, Minn. 



Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 



Washington, D. C. 



12C5 Pine St., Des Moines, Iowa. 



January IS, 1SD4. 

 Dear Sir: I see from the papers that the Laplanders in Jemtland (in Sweden, 

 nearest town is 06tersuud) are very discontented with certain restrictions made by 

 .the Government, and that reindeer culture under the present conditions is almost 

 impossible, so that the Laplanders, although unwillingly, have commenced fanning, 

 for which they are not all fitted. This mighl perhaps make Laplanders inclined to 

 emigrate. Von should correspond with the U. S. minister in Stockholm (or the U. 

 S. consul-general). 

 Yours, truly, 



N. Width. 

 Dr. Sheldon Jackson, 



Washington, D. C. 



