“Eskimo ‘Cowboys’ Start

Page 8 THE TRIBUNE, WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C.

Thursday, December 22,1955,

was lower than in the other
three herds.

During the summer four tons
of mineral supplement were
shipped to the reindeer station,
in an effort to reduce losses in

Reindeer Roundup in North

Before the
War, Britain exported coal to| That Canada was the first coun-
Canada. Now, with British mines
Socialized, Canada exports coal
to the United Kingaom.

Second World, About Time— Did you know?
try in the world to adopt the

is in universal use.

Canada’s most colorful round-/ centrally located on the winter
up gets underway this week,| range.
but cowboys in blue jeans and
ten gallon hats won't have any
ee ee of the reindeer in the herd are
Soy ease? Will BS taven back.to. heir owe range,
tgeen by aliout 26 Wskimos onlana another herd is’ drives wen
skis, dressed in cariboo skin|the corrals. Later, the animale
clothing, who will be driving|that will provide meat to teed
nearly 6,500 reindeer to corrais|Tesidents of Aklavik area, are
driven 60 miles to the amattoir.
on the reindeer range in the Ak-
lavik area of the Northwest Ter-
Titories,
The animals are in five separ-

the herd with the largest number
of weakened animals.
In the Department of }
ern Affairs and National
sources, problems of the various
reindeer herds are under con-
Uinuous study. Plans are being
made now for an intensive in-
vestigation in 1956 of forage
and grazing conditions on the
reindeer ranges. It is hoped that
the survey will reveal the exact
cause of the present weaknéss
so that prompt action can he ta-
ken to prevent further losses of

After the animals from one
herd are selected the remainder

One or two herdsmen from
each group accompany the ani-
mals on the drive.

OUR sincere best wishes

To all our friends in the Cariboo
For a joyous Festive Season
and a Happy New Year

MARGARET and ERNEST EVE *

standard time system that now ~

ate herds, which roam over a
16,700-square mile area east of
the Mackenzie Delta that has
been set aside as a reindeer
Tange, Resident trappers are al-
lowed on the range, but the kill-
ing of the reindeer is forbidden
to all but the herders and their
families. One of the herds is
government owned and manag-
ed; three others are under na-
tive management and one is
owned outright by Eskimos.
Each of the herds numbers more
than 1,000 animals.
SLAUGHTER

During the winter roundup
animals from the government
herd and one of the native herds
are driven directly to the abatoir
and animals are selected there
tor slaughter.

Farther away Eskimo herds-
men from the other three herds
drive their reindeer to a corral,

The number of reindeer being
slaughtered this winter is some-
thing less than it has been in
some previous years. During the
past year there has been a sub-
stantial decrease in the reindeer
Population. More than 7,700 ani-
mals were counted during 1954,
but this year the number drop-
ped tto about 6,500.

WEAKNESS

A contributing factor in the
decline is a mysterious weakness
which has become evident in
animals in two of the five herds.
The weakness, believed to be
caused by a dietary deficiency,
results in bone fractures in the
weakened animals. Backbones
and legs are most frequently af-
fected.

The reproductiveness of the
Weakened animals is aiso beliey-
ed to be seriously impaired. In
1955, the ratio of fawns to fe-
males in both the affected herds

British Guiana’s

e finest

DEMERARA
RUM

matured and
bettled in England

This advertisement is not published or displayed by the Liquor
Control Board or by the Province of British Columbia

this kind.
HEAVIER LOSSES

may have resulted in
losses than usual to
predators, such as wolves. Dur-
ing thg long winter period of
darkness, blizzards often wreak
havoc in the herds. When ani-
mals stray from the main herd
it is often impossible to track
them, as their footprints are
covered in by drifting snow. In
the spring and autumn, when
there is no snow but quite often
heavy fog, tracking reindeer is
practically impossible.

The possibility that reindeer
Populations are affected by cye-
les is also being considered.

The demand for reindeer meat
is heavier this winter than it
has been in previous years, Em-
Ployment opportunities have in-
creased in the Aklavik area dur-
ing the past year, with the result
that there is more purchasing
power in the community.

The bulk of the meat is dis-
posed of through « trading com-
pany and mission schools and
hospitals; none is exported to
southern Canada.

With the exceptton of the chief
herder and his son, who are
Lapps, all other herdsmen are
Eskimos.

Their animals feed in lichens
during the winter, and willow:
grasses and all sorts of herb:
ceous vegetation during the sum-
mer. Reindeer like mushrooms,
and sometimes even vary their
diets with young ptarmigan and
ptarmigan eggs. They have also
been known to eat fish.

Unlike the caribou, they are
domesticated. Several herdsmen
have reindeer which pull their
sleds.

Atomation: A new word ap-
plied to a process going on ever
since James Watt invented the
steam engine; the process of
substituting machines for men
in what was previously manual
labor,

Some 28,596,438 barrels of
crude petroleum gushed from
Canadian oil wells in the first
quarter of 1955 — a record.

wishes for a joyous and

memorable Yuletide season.

THE MANAGEMENT &

oo COLD STORAGE LTD.

A. an expression of our thanks and
good will, we are extending to all our

friends and neighbors our very best

STAFF OF

Indirectly, the weakness in the

LARGEST MANGER SCENE Boy visitor 1s dwarfed by
manger scene in stune and marble, by sculptor Vincenzo Ferri, in
Rome. Each statue is from 8 to [2 fect tall, include the Madonna
and infant; St. Joseph and the three wise kings bearing gifts, ~

Vfowe CRerstmras Sy

Fineside Ca Ce
Bright Wil CP.

If you wish to get as much
“color” as possible in your
Christmas observance, here’s a
novel idea.

eee,

Pine cones, small kindling or
chips can be so treated lo give
off colored flames when burned

in the fireplace, Dipped or
ed in 4 solution of va
of certain metals, cones or chips
will burn with s distinetive col-
or. Cones will not readily absorb
water, so salts much be sus-

‘thone

pended in a solution of tupren- 184.
tine. for Town Delivery
Compounds which — prounce
specific colors when burned WHEN ORDERING BY MAIL Bins
Red—strontium chloride; green PHONE BE SURE TO Wishing You All
barium chloride; blue-green Sreciny YOUR BRAND

—copper oxide or copper sul-
fate; orange—calcium chloride;
lavender — potasium chloride;
and yellow—sodium chloride.
A second method — if only
cones are to be used — is to dip
the cones in paraffin and before
the paraffin hardens sprinkle
with the following chemicals for
the desired color effec Green
—copper sulfate; red—stronti-
um nitrate; orange—calcium ni-
trate; and yellow — sodium
chloride. ‘

PILSENER, U.B.C. BOHEMIAN

A Very Merry Christmas

May we at this time cordially express

our appreciation of your friendship and
goodwill, with the hope that our service

will continue to be a factor in the

prosperity we wish for you in the coming year

Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association

ALE, SILVER SPRING ALE, 4X
STOUT, S.S. STOUT

8-E

PACIFIC BREWERS AGENTS
LIMITED
This advertisement is not pub-
lished or displayed by the Liquor
Control Board or by the Govern-
ment of British Columbia.

Tool MAGS

Whatever else might be lost among the years,
let us keep Christmas. Let us hold close this day, remembering
family and friends. May yours be a very joyous Holiday,
surrounded by all whose love and friendship you cherish,

from all of us
at

BEATH MOTORS (wiuams taxy LTD,

7 : Ty 7 7 T 7