18 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC KEINDEEK INTO ALASKA. 



Tho reindeer were landed fi'oiii the ocean steamer on the 27th of 

 March, 1898, at Haines, Alaska. 



Through a combination of circumstances the military authorities 

 were unprepared to receive and forward the reindeer to the moss pas- 

 turage, (>(> miles from the coast. While these preparations were in 

 progress the deer were delayed at this point without moss until the 

 15th of April, during which time 862 of the herd died. At this time 

 the remaining deer were transferred by the War Department to the 

 Department of the Interior, and on the 6th of May following, after 

 great hardships. I succeeded in reaching the moss pastures with 185 

 reindeer out of the 526 that were landed at Haines. 



From this time the deer were placed in charge of Hedle}^ E. Red- 

 myer, assisted hy six Lapps, to be driven, when they should regain 

 their strength, across the country to the neighl)orhood of Circle City, 

 in the Yukon Valley. 



On the 1st of September Mr. Redmyer had reached Lake Kukshu, 

 Northwest Territory, with 144 reindeer, 41 of the 185 with which he 

 started having proved too weak to recover their strength and died on 

 the way. Of the 141: remaining' on the 1st of September, 3 subse- 

 quently died from exhaustion. The balance of the herd (141) had 

 regained their health and strength and were in good condition. 



On the 28th of February, 1899, the expedition safely reached Circle 

 City and went into camp with 114 reindeer. Of the 30 deer lost by 

 the way, some met with accidents and were killed; a few were killed 

 by wolves; a few that had strayed from the herd were shot by the 

 natives, mistaking them for caril)ou; a few strayed away and were not 

 recovered. 



Mr. Redmyer kept a diary in which he graphically narrates the hard- 

 ships and difficidties encountered in driving across an unknown wilder- 

 ness without roads or trails or guide. He states that often a wolf or 

 mountain lion would appear and cause a stampede of the herd and com- 

 pel the Lapps to chase them through miles of unbroken snow, woods, 

 and underbrush before they could be gathered together for another 

 start. Again and again, coming to ranges of mountains too precipitous 

 to be crossed, the expedition was compelled to retrace its steps and try 

 another route; again and again, through the delays, provisions ran out 

 and the men were threatened wnth starvation; they were often com- 

 f)elled to lie down to sleep in wet clothing, which froze upon their 

 bodies; but notwithstanding all these difficulties and hardships the 

 expedition was carried through successfully, and the reindeer proved 

 their ability to make a journey that could not have been made either 

 with horses or dogs. 



During the spring and early summer, at the request of the United 

 States Army officers stationed at Circle City, two or three distant 

 military explorations were made with the reindeer. 



