WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.
The California Society of Friends has a mission among the Eskimos, with headquarters at Kotzebue, Alaska, within the Arctic Circle. It was established seven years ago, at which time the natives had little intercourse with the whites, excepting as the whalers traded whisky and tobacco with the unsophisticated people for their furs. Then polygamy was practised, intoxicants were used at every opportunity, and even the children used tobacco. Now, however, a missionary reports that a visitor would hardly realize that such a condition ever existed. There are about five hundred names on the rolls of the mission churches, and not a case of drunkenness has been seen among them, or any sign of indulgence, for over two years. The use of tobacco has become very unpopular, only a few old people using it at all, and they not openly. The mail-carrier from Nome recently said that Kotzebue was the first town he ever was in where he did not see anybody using tobacco. The food supply of the missionaries comes mostly from San Francisco, tho there is at most seasons an abundant supply of fresh fish, and some reindeer meat is obtainable. Dr. Sheldon Jackson's plan is to stock Alaska thoroughly with this wonderful animal, and no female deer are allowed to be killed for a period of twenty years. They are exceedingly prolific, and thrive well. There is a herd of several hundred near Kotzebue. There have been no cases of starvation among the people of that region for several years. The report from which we glean this intelligence was despatched January 13, and was sent 2,000 miles by dog and reindeer teams before reaching an open port. The missionaries are now rejoicing over the privilege of ten mails a year from Nome, which is about four hundred miles to the southwest. The report further says: “In this region the sea is open for navigation about three months each season. The mission has a steam launch that can be used if needed, and natives travel about in their skin boats, lion or walrus hide. For the remaining nine months reindeer and dogs are used for traveling. Last May, the missionary and his wife traveled with reindeer a13distance of 175 miles, over the ice, traveling at night (it is light all night then), and sleeping upon their sleds in the heat of the day. The last zero weather of last year was the 14th of May, the last snow-storm June 4. The thermometer touched the zero mark again October 11, and has been below zero point most of the time since. In January the sun begins to peep above the horizon every day.”