226 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



September 3: An exceedingly painful throat affection has rendered 

 me quite forlorn to-day. 



September 8: Convalescent from the throat affection, which had been 

 causing- me sleepless nights and restless days since the 3d instant. 

 Some diphtheria medicine, which I brought with me from home, gave 

 me relief at length. The disease may not have been diphtheria, how- 

 ever, although some of the symptoms seemed to hint that dreadful 

 name; but, of course, to a person who has passed through three attacks 

 of that malady no special alarm would be occasioned by its fourth 

 onset. I should have been grateful for medical advice, however. As 

 it was, my Norwegian helper, although very willing to render aid, 

 could not understand my wants, as he had not acquired a very large 

 vocabulary in English during our brief acquaintance. 



September 9: The Katherine Suddons, Captain Dickey, anchored off 

 the west shore in the afternoon. The pleasure of entertaining him for 

 even a half hour at the station was memorable to me for many days, 

 for during the previous three weeks I had been longing to see a sail 

 and to talk to an English-speaking man. 



The Gambell supplies were landed through a rather dangerous surf. 

 Sent letters off. The vessel had been in the Arctic Ocean, so the cap- 

 tain could give me neither mail nor news. 



September 10: With the help of Abrahamsen, I rearranged the 

 goods in the storehouse so as to admit the Gam])ell supplies, which 

 had been sheltered over night in the schoolroom. 



September 11: Sunday school was held. The women and children 

 attended in large numbers, but the men were away fishing. Sunday 

 is observed, I think, if other duties appertaining to the household 

 larder do not conflict. I sought to impress upon them the stricter 

 observance of the Lord's Day, but at the same time reminded them 

 that if it were really necessary to seek food on that day, by all means 

 do the duty that seems to be the more imperative. I was certain that 

 if other days during the week had been storm}' so that the canoes 

 could not venture out through the surf, and if a calm day occurred on 

 a succeeding Sabbath, then surely they would be pardoned for seeking 

 food on that day for their household. 



September 12: The thermometer has been registering 40° on the 

 average for some days past. I am sorry that the thermometers are 

 not in pi'oper condition to admit of careful observation. There is no 

 barometer, moreover, nor a rain gauge. 



The sea has been rough most of the time of late and so fishing has 

 practicalh^ ceased. The sun never shines at this place Avith sufficient 

 power to thoroughly dry fish, so that after a very short time they are 

 advanced toward decomposition. It may be, however, that the fish 

 are not exposed to the sun sufficiently long. 



