INTRODUCTIOISr OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 239 



close upon 4:(P below zero, I have found the climate on this island veiy 

 much more severe, due to the moisture and the strong winds. 



February?: School. 10°; east wind, strong; clear; fine day. Sick 

 all day with a stomach trouble. 



February 9: No school. Passed a "trying" night after a sick da}'. 

 Unable to retain either medicine or food in ni}^ stomach; colic severe 

 at intervals. 



February 11: Saturday. 10°; east wind, moderate; cloudy. Conva- 

 lescent after a severe sickness. Took a short stroll. 



February 12: No Sunday school. Only a few spasms of colic to-day. 

 Grateful for m}^ deliverance from severe pain. 



February 13: School. 0°; east wind, moderate; clear. 



February 14; School. —5°; northeast and east winds, light; clear. 

 Abrahamsen shot sixteen ducks. Ducks can be obtained here in small 

 quantities even in the winter, while the}^ are very plentiful at other 

 seasons. 



February 15: School. 0°; calm; clear. Sent some medicine to a 

 Southwest Cape boy, who had been struck with a stone. Fourth day 

 of dance given l)y Imurigan. Nearly every day a dance is in progress 

 at one or another of the houses. Usually they are not ela])orate affairs, 

 and only a few friends and relatives are present. They indicate the 

 completion of bootmaking or some other kind of native manufacture, 

 for the season, 



February 18: Saturday. 0°; north and east winds, light; snow in 

 the forenoon. Of late very few seals have been secured, and the people 

 have suffered for food in consequence. Some households, which had 

 an abundance, however, came to the aid of other families in whom 

 they were interested. It seems to be quite evident that the slaughter 

 of walruses, seals, and whales in the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea by 

 modern, effective weapons will deprive the Eskimos in the near future 

 of their accustomed food. Famines occur frequently here, and. I 

 fancy, among other Eskimo communities. 



Februar}'^ 21: School. —10°; east wind, very light; cloudless day. 



February 25: Saturday. —15°; northeast wind, very light. An- 

 other cloudless day. Had to announce that I could no longer permit 

 the school children to play in the room during recess, as in January 

 and Februaiy up to the present date. 



February 27: School. 0°; northeast wind, moderate. Clear all day. 

 During this month there have been many fine days, which were in 

 marked contrast with the cloudy weather that prevailed generalh' from 

 the time of my arrival, in the middle of August last, until the first of 

 the present month. 



I had a long talk with Assoone. the chief and the "leading practi- 

 tioner" among the native doctors. Aninga interpreted for me. I 

 had been asked to express nn' credulity or my incredulity in Assoone's 



