INTRODUCTIOK OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 135 



ing of July 21. Could not communicate with the natives at a village 

 eastward of Cape Serdze, where the deer were obtained some years 

 ago by the Bear, as heavy drift ice obstructed the landing, but made 

 an anchorage on east side of Cape Serdze morning of .July 21; wind 

 blowing fresh from the north, making it impossible to round the cape, 

 especially as some heavy ice was drifting in. Morning of July 22 

 landed Lieut. H. G. Hamlet and interpreter Chio to proceed to west 

 side of Cape Serdze for information about the possibility of purchasing 

 deer. Lieutenant Hamlet returned in the evening, after tramping some 

 20 miles, reporting that some deer could be ol)tained beyond the cape, 

 but only a few, as larger herds were some miles inland. 



For a couple of years no reindeer l)uying had l)een done in this por- 

 tion of Siberia, consequently the deer men did not drive the herds to 

 the coast. July 23 rounded Cape Serdze, and at 11.15 a. m. anchored off 

 Neutan. Succeeded in obtaining a promise to get 18 deer. Init find 

 mj'self handicapped l>y a demand for whisky instead of legitimate 

 barter goods. Natives inform me that Conrad Siem pa3'S whisky for 

 his deer, and a deer herder will sell all his herd for whisky, l)ut only 

 a few for legitimate barter goods. As the herd was some miles inland 

 men had to be sent to drive them to the coast, and at noon July 24 

 was informed that J could get my deer at east side of Cape Serdze. 

 Consec^uently steamed over there; arrived at the proper place to meet 

 the herd about 2.30 p. m., l)ut the deer had not arrived. About 6.30 

 p. m. the herd was seen coming over the hills some 2 miles back inland, 

 and b}' 7.15 p. m. Lieutenant Hamlet and interpreter went ashore with 

 the barter goods to close the l)ai'gain and bring off all deer purchased. 

 First boat full came alongside at 11.15 p. m., and at 2.2() a. m. July 25 

 had received on board 10 deer. As ice was drifting in from the north- 

 east, got under way and worked our way slowly through some pretty 

 heavy drift ice. No other stop could l)e made to see if more deer could 

 be purchased, as the shore was lined with ice, preventing a landing. 

 Lieutenant Hamlet and Chio were sent ashore at Whalen, at 2.30 p. m. 

 July 25, to see if trade could be made there, luit owing to sickness 

 prevailing in the chiefs family nothing could l)e done, and we con- 

 tinued on our way across toward Cape Prince of Wales, where we 

 arrived at 3.50 a. m. July 2(5. Seeing two flags hoisted, the signal 

 agreed on by us that you would be there to l)e taken off, anchored, but 

 fouHd that one of the flags was on Mr. Lopp's house, the other on a 

 small steamer anchored in line with it. Rounded the cape, and at 7 

 p. m. anchored oft' Mr. Lopp's reindeer station westward of Cape 

 York, and landed 40 reindeer, all in good condition, turning them over 

 to the deer herders employed by Mr. Lopp. 



July 27 got under way in the morning, crossed Bering Strait to 

 purchase some more deer on the North coast, as I found the animals in 

 umch better condition there than in St. Lawrence Bav. 



