GREAT REINDEER TREK ENDS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 103, 25 January 1935, Page 11

GREAT REINDEER TREK ENDS

Animals For Canadian Eskimos OVER TWO THOUSAND REACH GOAL By Telegraph.-—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 24, 7.40 p.m.) Vancouver, January 23. The greatest migration of live stoeK in the world’s history, finished when 2300 reindeer purchased by the . Canadian Government reached Canadian territory from Alaska. They are domesticated like cattle, and are intended to provide food and clothing lor Canadian Eskimos. The story of reindeer migration dates back to 1892, when tlie United States Government imported 1280 reindeer from-Siberia into Alaska. In 30 years these multiplied into more than a millon, and changed 15,000 Alaska Eskimos from people living as in the primitive stone age into a civilised pastoral people. OVER FIVE YEARS ON WAY Immense Task Completed Almost within sight of its goal after a four-year trek across 1000 miles ot Arctic tundra, the reindeer herd consigned to Canada's Eskimos in the Mackenzie Basin was early last year forced to halt for another year. An unfortunate incident which delayed the crossing on the frozen delta of the Mackenzie River necessitated waiting nt Single Point on tlie western shore until last month, when the ”iver was sufficiently iced over again before continuing the march that ended at Kitigazuitt Peninsula on the opposite side of the. delta. Now the Canadian Eskimos of this far Northland have received a present which already has been over, five years on its way to them. It is a gift which will do much to banish uncertainty and fear from the lives of those ice-bound people who dwell beyond the reach, of relief agencies or employment campaigns. It was in the fall cf 1929 that an intrepid Laplander named Andy Bahr set out from Naboktoolik, east of Kotzebuk Sound, on the Arctic circle north of Nome, to deliver tt-.herd of 3000 reindeer to the Eskimos of the Kitigazuitt Peninsula, on the east shore of the Mackenzie River delta, some thousand miles away. Object to Aid Eskimos. Tlie Canadian Government and aa American are responsible for this re-cord-breaking trek over the roof of the world, across an uncharted, frozen country of unexplored rivers and unsealed mountains. Its object is to relieve the distress of the Canadian Eskimos, whose game mid fish supply has been slowly dwindling. in Alaska, the reindeer has come to the rescue of Eskimos once in the same situation as those in Canada. It furnishes food and clothing, and meets other essentials of daily living. The herd, now at the end of its long pilgrimage. will form the nucleus of herds to come, with the resultant establishment of the reindeer industry in northern Canada. Tlie Canadian- Government turned for help in its dilemma to Mr. Carl J. Loman, head of the Reindeer Corporation which bears his name. Mr. Loman and his brothers have lived in Nome for more than 30 years. They—and their father before them —have made an intensive study of the reindeer, its habits, and its potentialities as a source c 4 ’ food and revenue. The Lpraan organisation agreed to deliver 3000 head of reindeer —date left blank —for 195,000 dollars, the Canadian Government to receive a refund ot 65 dollars for every head short of the specified number. A Unique Pilgrimage. At. about the time made memorable by the stock market crash, the little band set out from Naboktoolik gaily enough. The herd consisted of 3400 reindeer, 2800 cows, 200 bulls, and 400 steers, the hitter for food and draft purposes. Andy Bahr, known as the best reindeer man In Alaska, took with him nine young helpers, four Laplanders, and five Eskimos. A year was required to make the necessary preparations, for the herd had to be segregated from thousands wandering over a vast grazing area, part of an extensive organisation which had been years in the building. It took just a year to cover the first 200 miles, to the juncture of the Kobuk and Hunt Rivers, where a fresh supply of food had been sent ahead and cached by the Lomans. Fawning season in tlie spring brought a large increase in the herd, so that some 1200 deer were cut out from the rest, and sent back to the h«me base. No travel is possible during the summer months, for with the snow gone, supplies cannot be transported. But the trek started once more in October, 1930. Tlie perilous crossing of the ice-covered Kobuk and Noatak Rivers was accomplished. Then the Brooks mountain range lifted imperious peaks of ice and snow, barring the way. , Getting word of the herd's position, and the dangers confronting the party, the Lomans sent Sanis Robbins, pilot of the Alaska Airways, to help him out. Flying over the range enabled Bahr to chart his course, through a pass in the mountains, and on across the ’Amble River. That winter was spent in negotiating the passes of the Brooks Mountains and travelling over tlie vast stretches of tundra which lay between. The spring of 1931 found the band at the Colville River. The winter had been a devastating one. Staple food supplies were running low, for since the first food caclie, the party had had to depend upon such reindeer'as could be spared, and on game. News From Icy Wastes. And then an ainforseen incident occurred. Aviator Joe Crossin, flying from Fairbanks to Point Barrow. 600 miles distant, spotted the Loman herd, and radioed information of their whereabouts to Alfred Loman, one of the brothers, then in Juneau. It was the first word received in mouths. Alfred Loman radioed back to Crossin offering him 300 dollars to bring a letter back from Andy. Crossin rediscovered the herd, landed, got the letter and sent it on to Loman. That letter, like all messages from the Laplander, was short and to the point. He needed certain food supplies by April. Ho got them, to tlie tune of 1000 pounds of flour, sugar and coffee, for whiffii Crossin was paid one dollar a pound tor deliver.}'. , , . Sinde that time, tlie trek has moved slowlv forward, the difficulties largely ti repetition of those encountered earlier. At one time as many ns 400 reindeer strayed away. Dividing the herd into two parts, Bahr took otic division and turned back to pick them up. This took four months, and, in spite of his efforts, many reindeer were lost.