IHS INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC EEINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



REPORT OF DR. F. H. OA:\rBELL OF EXPEDITION TO SYNROCK AND 

 CAPE PRINCE OF WALES. 



Department of the Interior. 



Bureau of Education, 

 Synrocl\ Alaska, December ^, 1899. 



Dear Sir: Having anothor opportunity to write to you, and fearing- 

 that you may not get my other letter.^, 1 will give in full an account 

 of my trip with the deer on my way to Cape Prince of Wales via Nome 

 and Synrock. I started from Eaton on the ()th of November and reached 

 the herd on the morning of the 9th. I took from the herd 259 deer 

 l)elonging to the Government and 1 belonging to Captain Walker. In 

 addition to these I also took 21 sled deer for the purpose of hauling our- 

 selves as well as tent, bedding, and provisions, making in all belong- 

 ing to the Government 280. We had to go around Norton Bay as it 

 was not frozen sufficiently for crossing. At another point we had to 

 cut our way over the mountains, making about 6 miles in two and a 

 half days. We reached Golovin Bay on the evening of the 20th of 

 November. We made the following division of the herd which is 

 known as the Golovin Ba}- herd. 



Ninety-eight deer were selected, the original number given to the 

 two missions minus 2, which 2 had lieen removed by your order 

 previously, as I was informed. 



Forty-four were then taken — the numljer belonging to the Govern- 

 ment — and placed in the herd by the Laplander left in charge of them 

 this last summer. He stated that 2 of the 48 — the original num- 

 ber — had been killed by dogs since in his care, and that 2 of them 

 belonged to the mission. Two which had l)een put in the herd last 

 winter were then taken out. 



Two belonging to Captain Walker were removed. Moses's deer 

 were then selected and were as follows in regard to sex and number: 

 Males, 5; females, 35; calves, 25. A division of what remained after 

 taking out those belonging to the Golovin Bay herders was then made, 

 which resulted in the Government getting, males, 26 (7 at present at 

 Port Clarence); females, 16; calves, 3!>. 



On the first day out from the Eaton herd -1 deer were returned 

 on account of unfitness to travel. On the second day out 1 had to 

 be killed on account of injuries received on the previous day. 



One deer was left at Golovin Bay, not being able to travel. One 

 was killed after leaving Golovin Bay as it could not keep up with the 

 herd. Seven sled deer were left at Golovin Bay to be used upon our 

 return trip. Following is the number of deer in the herd at different 

 times : 



Left Eaton with 280 Government deer. 

 Removed -i Government deer November 8. 

 Killed 1 Government deer November 9. 



