e most faithful creatures in the world," said Mr. Strong,
"devoted to their masters, even though the masters are cruel to them.
Reindeer can work all day without a mouthful to eat, living on one meal
at night of seven pounds of corn-meal mush, with a pound or so of dried
fish cooked into it. On long journeys they can live on dried fish and
snow, and five dogs will haul four hundred pounds thirty-five miles a
day. They carry the United States mails all over Alaska."

"I should think the dog would be worth more than the reindeer," said Ted.

"Many Alaskan travellers say he is by far the best for travelling, but he
cannot feed himself on the _tundra_, nor can he be eaten himself if
necessary. The Jarvis expedition proved the value of the reindeer," said
Mr. Strong.

"What was that?" asked Ted.

"Some years ago a whale fleet was caught in the ice near Point Barrow,
and in danger of starving to death, and word of this was sent to the
government. The President ordered the revenue cutter _Bear_ to go as far
north as possible and send a relief party over the ice by sledge with
provisions. When the _Bear_ could go no farther, her commander landed
Lieutenant Jarvis, who was familiar with the region, and a relief party.
They were to seek the nearest reindeer station and drive a reindeer herd
to the relief of the starving people. The party reached Cape Nome and
secured some deer, and the rescue was made, but under such difficulties
that it is one of the most heroic stories of the age. These men drove
four hundred reindeer over two thousand miles north of the Arctic Circle,
over frozen seas and snow-covered mountains, and found the starving
sailors, who ate the fresh reindeer meat, which lasted until the ice
melted in the spring and set them free."

"I think that was fine," said Ted. "But it seems a little hard on the
reindeer, doesn't it, to tramp all that distance just to be eaten?"

"Animals made for man," said Kalitan, briefly.

* * * * *

A golden glory filled the sky, running upwards toward the zenith,
spreading there in varying colours from palest yellow to orange and
deepest, richest red. Glowing streams of light streamed heavenward like
feathery wings, as Ted and Kalitan sailed southward, and Ted exclaimed in
wonder: "What is it?"

"The splendour of _Saghalie Tyee_,"[16] said Kalitan, solemnly.

[Footnote 16: Way-up High Chief, i.e., God.]

"The Aurora Borealis," said Mr. Strong, "