248 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



]Mav 13: 29^, 34^ ; east wind, strong; snow and fog all day. The van 

 of the whaling fleet arrived, consisting of the Jeanette^ Captain Newth; 

 Gramjms^ Captain Leavitt; Narwhal, Captain Comiskv. The Belve- 

 dere passed bv later. Went aboard the first three vessels. From 

 Captains Newth and Leavitt I received news of the war. and papers 

 and magazines. The eastern part of the Bering Sea was reported open 

 for the most part. No whales had been secured. Did not get au}'^ 

 mail. 



May 14: 32-. 33;; east wind, light; foggy all day. The W/IUain 

 Bai/Jles^ Captain Buckler, dropped anchor here and I went aboard. 

 Gave the captain some medicine for an inflamed eye. A cough pre- 

 vented me from holding Sunday school. "Captain Jack," a native, 

 was very drunk, and when I accused him of it he made his way as 

 quickly as he could to his sister's house, giving me the impression 

 that he was in search of a weapon with which to vent his spite 

 upon me. 



May 15: 32^, 37^; northeast wind, light; foggy all day. "Captain 

 Jack.'' Myookuk. and one or two others, all of the Indian Point 

 (Siberia) contingent that has wintered here, attacked the house about 

 midnight, hurling large stones at one of the doors. They were too 

 drunk to accomplish their purpose, however, and expended consider- 

 able energy in shouting out menacing threats. Abrahamsen and I had 

 to make ready against their possible intrusion. Earlier in the night, as 

 Abrahamsen entered the house. Wyookuk flred a pistol in the air, 

 close to the house. The Indian Point element ought to be prevented 

 from such attempts, and probably their expulsion alone can guarantee 

 this. The other natives here were oblivious that an assault was in 

 progress upon the school building, and in any event would not want 

 to interfere with Indian Point natives, who are more numerous and 

 better equipped to carry on war than are the natives at this place. 

 Indian Point, in Siberia, is only 40 miles distant from Gambell. and 

 has a population double that of this village, while the deermen are 

 their allies, furthermore. Again and again in former times the Sibe- 

 rians have nearly exterminated the natives of this island. 



May 16: 31^. 34 ~; northeast wind, light: foggy all day. The 

 TJmt^ther. Captain Sherman (wife and two children), came to anchor. 

 Made one trip to the vessel in my kayak, and two trips in canoes. The 

 GainJx'll canoe capsized in the surf and the men had a narrow escape 

 from drowning. I had to give them medicine to warm them after 

 their cold bath. 



Mav 17: 33-, 38^; northeast wind, light, and snow in the morning. 

 Foggy and calm afterwards. 



May 18: 35^, 39^; east and southeast winds, light: foggy or over- 

 cast all day. Shoolook went more than halfway to Indian Point in 

 his Avhaleboat. and reports a large quantity of ice toward the Siberian 

 coast. 



