INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 59 



and over all the hills in Alaska, even up to the xVrctic Ocean. This 

 gives at one glance the actual view of the situation in Alaska. Around 

 the southern coasts and in the river valleys trees flourish and moss is 

 not found. Back on the hills and for a mile up the high mountains 

 reindeer moss is to be found in immense quantities. A careful estimate 

 finds sufficient food for ten millions of reindeer, basing the estimate on 

 the present capacity of Finland and Lapland for the support of the 

 reindeer. 



But the routes for reindeer travel must not be laid out in river val- 

 leys nor along the coast of the ocean The reindeer would starve on 

 account of lack of moss. This was the actual experience in the jour- 

 ney made by Mr. Kjellmann in the winter of 18*J7 from Port Clarence 

 south to Bristol Bay. He accomplished the other parts of his jour- 

 ne}^ even the scaling of high mountain passes, without difficulty, but 

 in attempting to conduct a portion of his return journey through the 

 forest between the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers he could not find 

 moss enough to subsist his reindeer except l)y cutting down trees and 

 using an inferior quality of moss. As it was, a half dozen of his deer 

 perished. These reindeer journeys can be accomplished onh^ on trails 

 leading over the hills above the river valley's. 



In my last report I discussed the mail routes that could be used: 



1. The Yukon Valley, from its head waters near Dyea to St. Michael, 

 near its mouth — all its settlements could be brought into postal com- 

 munication throughout its entire length by reindeer express. The 

 mail would be brought to Skagway to the steamers that run to Seattle. 



2. A side route up the Tanana and down the Copper River to the 

 ocean, or by the Sushitna to Cooks Inlet, would furnish a mail route 

 entirely within the United States. 



3. A coast line from Cape Prince of Wales to St. Michael, connect- 

 ing the settlements at Cape Nome and along Norton Sound, with per- 

 haps a northern route from Cape Prince of Wales to the settlements 

 around Kotzebue Sound on the Arctic Ocean as far north as Point 

 Barrow, would make possi))le communication with whaling fleets that 

 winter in those regions as well as with the schools and missions. 



4. At Nulato the Yukon bends south and runs some 850 miles to its 

 mouth. An express line coimeeting the settlements on this part of 

 the Yukon as well as those on Kuskokwim and Bristol Bay at the 

 south would complete the mail routes necessary to connect all of 

 inhabited Alaska with civilization in the States. 



There would be substantial cabins with caches of food every 20 

 miles on a reindeer route, the food being for the men and not for the 

 animals. The reindeer with his tough lips and shovel-shaped hoofs can 

 find moss under the snow at any point m Alaska except the forest 

 regions which line the rivers and southern coast. 



