134 The National Geographic Magazine 



of experience to give to the breeding of 

 reindeer the care that we give to the 

 breeding of cattle. In the winter of 

 1898 sixty-three Laplanders and their 

 families volunteered to go to Alaska, 

 the U. S. Government paying the ex- 

 penses of their long journe}' of 10,000 

 miles. When their term of enlistment 

 expired some reenlisted, some of them 

 went home again, but the majority 

 turned miners. Every one will be glad 

 to know that at least two-thirds of the 



From a photograph by E. P. Bertholi 



Breaking a Path Through Deep Snow 



whole number made large fortunes in need not 

 the Cape Nome gold fields. 



The reindeer herders have to bewatch- 

 ful. Now and then reckless miners try 

 to plunder the herds, or by their care- 

 lessness set fire to the moss. A fire 

 will sweep over the moss barrens, lick- 

 ing up every fiber of the moss, as it 

 sweeps over our western prairies. A 

 moss fire is even more destructive, for 



many years pass before the moss will 

 grow again. 



At the end of a year's service the 

 government makes a gift to deserving 

 herders of two or more reindeer. 



REINDEER RAISING AS AN INDUSTRY 



When one considers that raising rein- 

 deer in Alaska is simple and the profits 

 enormous, one is surprised that as yet 

 no one has really gone into the reindeer 

 business, especially at Dawson, where a 

 rich market awaits the rein- 

 deer farmer. 



A fawn during the first 

 four years costs the owner 

 less than $1 a year. At the 

 end of the four years it will 

 bring at the mines from $50- 

 to $100 for its meat, or if 

 trained to the sled or for the 

 pack, is easily worth $100 ta 

 $150. 



The fawns are very healthy 

 and but few die ; the does are 

 prolific, and after they are 

 two years of age add a fawn 

 to the herd each year for ten 

 years. Last year, out of 50 

 does two 3 r ears and more of 

 agein one herd, 48 had fawns, 

 and of these only five died, 

 three of which were lost 

 through accidents or by the 

 carelessness of the herder. 



The reindeer are so gre- 

 garious and timid that one 

 herder can easily guard i,ooo- 

 head. The herder knows 

 that if a few stra} r off he 

 look for them as they will 

 soon become frightened and rejoin the 

 main herd. 



The does make almost as good sled 

 deer as the bulls and geldings. The}' 

 are slightlj' smaller and less enduring. 



The Chukches deer cost in Siberia 

 about $4.00 a head for a full-grown doe 

 or bull. The fawns born in Alaska are 

 larger and heavier than the parent stock. 



