INTRODUCTION^ OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 255 



July 2: 40^. 42^.40^; northeast wind moderate, later light: calm 

 in evening, foggy until evening, then clear. Nowgoshluk died. 



July 3: 46°. 46^, 40°; southeast, south, and southwest winds light 

 to moderate; clear in forenoon, later foggy. Learned that Nowgoshluk 

 had been a sufferer from inflammation in the bladder, and had. more- 

 over, been blind for many years. He had his friends place a rifle 

 near him so that he could discharge it fatally, and thus took his life 

 last night. This is honorable according to the Massinga customs. 



July 4: 43°, 46°, 40°; southwest, west, and southwest winds mod- 

 erate. Fog and mist. Celebrated the 4th by an address to the people 

 and by giving them a dinner, and to the children some flags. In the 

 contest with rifles, fifteen shots were placed in the bulTs-eye at a fair 

 range. Abrahamsen helped me pack some souvenirs in boxes. 



July 5: 40°, 44°, 40°; southwest and west winds moderate; fog all 

 day. Packed trunks, expecting to leave at an}" time. 



July 6: 49°, 48°, 44°; west and southwest winds moderate; fog 

 until evening, then clear. 



July 7: 48°, 50°, 55°; south wind moderate to light; clear until 

 evening, then overcast. 



July 8: 46°, 50°, 52°; west and south winds light; southwest mod- 

 erate; fog all day. Akotan, after suffering from hemorrhages from 

 the lungs for some time past, died. 



July 9: 47°, 47°, 42°; southwest wind moderate; fog. rain, and 

 mist. The schoolroom could not be used for Sunday school, as it was 

 still filled with Government lumber that could not be exposed to the 

 elements, and there was no other place in which it could be stored. 



July 10: Captain Buhner brought the Thetis, United States revenue 

 cutter, to anchor about 10 a. m. He and Lieutenant Hamlet received 

 from me a portion of the supplies stored here by Dr. Sheldon Jack- 

 son last summer. The}" will be used in trading for reindeer. Received 

 no letters. 



July 12: Wednesday. Oozuk gave a dance in the cleared space in 

 front of the schoolhouse. The men and boys first ran round in a cir- 

 cle, some having walking sticks with them. After all of the runners 

 had become tired, a walrus skin was laid on the ground and food was 

 placed thereon, having been brought by Oozuk's household and 

 relatives. The old men then partook of a feast, reindeer meat and 

 Russian tobacco being the delicacies. The women were then tossed in 

 skins. 



Captain Jack brought his little girl to the house later and asked me 

 to trade for a pair of baby boots, which 1 did, in order to give the 

 child some food. He then said that Oozuk had l)rought some whisky 

 over from Siberia, which had been given to him by Aminga. He 

 claimed that Oozuk had treated his friends, among others Shoolook 

 and Captain Jack. I noticed the smell of liquor on Captain Jack's 



