INTKODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REHSTDEER INTO ALASKA. 233 



November 19: Shoolook and I took a ride on a dog sled for a distance 

 of 25 miles, J should judge. Saw Sepilla's house, an underground 

 structure called a ''ninglo." I examined it quite carefully. 



November 21: Abrahamsen and I, with Shoolook, Montokoly, and 

 Womkone, set out with 3 sleds and about 18 dogs to make a journey 

 to Southwest Cape. A young woman had been accidentallv shot 

 in both feet, and a native had asked me to send some medicine to her. 

 I thought that with Abrahamsen as surgeon, I could manage to give 

 some medicine that would relieve her somewhat of blood poisoning. 



The trip occupied about ten hours, and appeared to indicate a dis- 

 tance of 40 miles. Abrahamsen worked faithfully, cutting away 

 decaj^ed flesh from the wound which was the worse one, and probed 

 for the shot until the sufferer's fortitude had been exhausted. Then 

 he bandaged it after pouring in arnica. I left two or three kinds of 

 medicine and directions. 



I could not sleep in the house where our party remained over night, 

 as the air was ' ' close and very foul " from the breath of six persons 

 crowded with a dog into a room about 10 feet long and 7 feet wide. 

 Went outside very early in the morning and witnessed a magnificent 

 aurora, in ti:ying to see which from the top of a high promontor}^ I 

 nearly lost my life, as the strong gale blew me off' my feet and pushed 

 me down the path, which was slippery. 



November 22: Our part}^ returned to the station, I was glad to get 

 into my bed after a hard day's journey. To ride on a dog sled is very 

 tiresome; there is no back rest and no place to put one's feet, so they 

 have to dangle over the sides of the sled and come in contact with 

 bowlders and other obstructions. 



November 24: "Thanksgiving Day." Passed very quietly. 



November 26: "Ola hola" at Oozuk's house; did not attend. 



November 27: The natives were excited over several phenomena 

 which appeared to indicate the activity of a volcano not A'ery far off. 



November 29: Nukkwon's baby died during the night after a long 

 period of sickness. I had done what I could for it, but at a time when 

 the mother could not nurse it some poorly cooked walrus and seal 

 meat had been given to it, later condensed milk, probably improperly 

 prepared. The abdomen of the baby had enlarged greatly. Emetics 

 and cathartics failed to reduce this "bloated" condition. 



Abrahamsen and I attended the funeral. The mother remained at 

 the house, according to the custom here, while the father and four 

 friends acted as pallbearers, carrying the body in a bundle wrapped 

 around by a deerskin and suspended from a pole. The cortege stopped 

 after going a short distance, and the sister cut off' the end of the seal 

 ropes which bound the blanketed body to the pole. These rope ends 

 were thrown away, as was the remaining medicine, and with a can she 

 oflSciated in the tinal farewell ceremony, rubbing it first twice on her 



