28 ARCTIC CRUISE OF THE REVENUE CUTTER ^‘BEAR'^ 
being wrecked and relief being furnished by the Bear. In addi- 
tion to affording relief to the whaling fleet in times of disaster 
and peril, its record is equally brilliant in the protection of thou- 
sands of half-civilized natives from the rai)acity of the white 
man and the demoralization that comes from the white man’s 
rum. Along vast stretches of coast ( from 10,000 to 12,000 miles) 
unknown to civilization, the flag of the revenue steamer is the 
only evidence of the authority of the Government that is ever 
seen and the only protection ever afforded. The cruiser Bear also 
furnishes the only medical attendance which the natives living 
along thousands of miles of coast ever receive. In 1890 the 
importance of its annual cruise was still further increased by its 
affording transportation to the United States general agent of 
education in Alaska in his establishment and supervision of 
Government schools in western and Arctic Alaska, and in 1891 
still another addition was made to its usefulness by its being 
employed in the transportation of domestic reindeer from Siberia 
to Alaska. Its visits to the native villages upon the American 
coast and the search for reindeer along the coast of Siberia bring 
it into. many bays and regions little known to the geogra})hic 
world. During the establishment of schools and the introduc- 
tion of domestic reindeer into Alaska the writer was enabled, 
by the permission of the Secretary of the Treasury and the 
courtesy of Captain Healy, to make five consecutive annual 
cruises along the Arctic coasts of Siberia and Alaska. The work 
being now well under way, his place was this season taken by 
the assistant agent, Mr William Hamilton. The cruise of the 
Bear in 1895 was over much the same course as in previous years. 
After }»atrolling the North Pacific during IMay and June the 
Bear left the wharf at Dutch harbor, Unalaska, on June 24 for 
her Arctic trip. The next day she sighted through the fog first 
St. George island and then St. Paul. The sea being too rough 
to land, the ship pushed on to the northwest, passing St. IMat- 
thew island on June 26, and reaching anchorage at St. Law- 
rence island on June 28. Very soon the natives swarmed on 
board, bringing tidings that IMr and Mrs Gamble, in charge of 
the Government school on the island, were in excellent health 
and had had a very successful year. A sewing machine aftid a 
cabinet organ for Mrs Gamble, with supplies for the family and 
a twelve months’ mail, were landed safely through the surf. 
Hoisting anchor on June 30 the Bear crossed over to Indian 
