The Barren Ground Caribou of Keewatin

Part 15

Chapter 153,313 wordsPublic domain

"Reindeer": Kennicott, in Anonymous, 1869: 166 (dried reindeer meat one of chief foods at Fort Simpson); 170 (caribou clothing used by Yellow Knives).

_Rangifer tarandus_ (Linné) Bd.: Kumlien, 1879: 19 (Eskimo hunting at Cumberland Sound); 23-25 (Eskimo clothing of deerskin); 36-37 (Eskimo arrows and bows of antlers); 53, 54 (pursuit by wolves); 54 (abundant in Cumberland Sound region; migration; food; hunting and utilization by Eskimos).

"Barren ground caribou": R. Bell, 1881: 15C (migrating in great numbers, Reindeer Lake).

_Rangifer Groenlandicus_ "Baird" (part): Caton, 1881: 105 (description); 106 (Mackenzie River to Hudson Bay); 107 (food); 108 (habits; migration); 366-371 (hunting by Indians and Eskimos).

"Reindeer" or "deer": Gilder, 1881: 11 (Eskimos near Lower Savage Islands, Hudson Strait, with skins and meat); 23, 25, 26, 28 (hunting by Eskimos near Connery River, Keewatin); 42, 46 (near Chesterfield Inlet); 43 (Eskimo drum of deerskin); 50 (dog harness of deerskin); 59, 61, 64, 67, 71 (522 reindeer killed by Schwatka's party between Hudson Bay and King William Island); 61 (pursued by wolves); 78 (wariness in winter); 83, 192 (Adelaide Peninsula); 122, 132, 153, 157, 161, 162 (King William Island); 137-146 (Eskimo use of skins and meat); 154 (Eskimos use of fat and meat); 196-197 (reindeer collecting in immense herds to cross Simpson Strait on ice in early October); 217, 218 (lower Back's River, December); 223, 224, 225, 226 (numerous between Back's River and Chesterfield Inlet, January); 254-255 (deerskins as Eskimo bedding).

"Reindeer" or "deer": Nourse, 1884: 220 (Eskimos dressing skins near Wager Bay); 232 (37 killed by Hall's party in July, Wager Bay); 235 (a thousand passing in a day; many cached near North Pole River, late September; seen from September to January, and reappearing in March); 256 (deer-hunting, Melville Peninsula); 264-265 (18 deer and a fawn near Cape Weynton); 351 (found abundant by Schwatka between Wager Bay and Back's River); 354 (King William Island); 356 (plentiful, Terror Bay; immense herds, Simpson Strait, September to October 14).

"Reindeer" or "Arctic deer": Schwatka, 1885: 59-60, 65, 67-71, 73-75, 81-82, 86 (hunting by Eskimos and whites in n. Keewatin); 60-64 (skins for clothing, bedding, and drums); 60-61 (molt); 65, 67 (use of meat); 68, 71-72 (swimming); 72 (many on King William Island); 77-79 (migrating across Simpson's Strait, June and October); 79 (Boothia and North Somerset); 81 (near mouth of Back's River); 83 (rarely seen in herds of more than 100; migrations); 84-85 (weight); 85 (unwariness).

"Deer": Boas, 1888: 419 (deer in Eskimo economy); 429, 461-462, 501 (Baffin Island; hunting by Eskimos in summer by spear or line of cairns); 438 (varying numbers on Cumberland Peninsula); 502 (migration, Baffin and King William Islands); 502-503 (bows made of antlers); 508-509 (stalking and trapping by Eskimos); 522 (dressing of skins by Eskimos); 555-560 (clothing of deerskin).

"Reindeer": Bompas, 1888: 24 (deflected in their migrations in Mackenzie district by burning of the country); 60 (attacked by wolves); 61 (Indian methods of hunting); 62 (palatability of the flesh); 100 (utilization of hides and meat).

"Deer": Collinson, 1889: 153 (Banks Island; weight); 166, 171, 173-175, 181, 186, 197, 209, 220, 237, 264, 272-274 (Victoria Island); 200, 203, 229 (Prince of Wales Strait); 235 (Dolphin and Union Strait); 243, 247, 281, 283 (Cambridge Bay); 244 (large herds waiting to cross Dease Strait, October; trailed by wolves); 277 (stone monuments of Eskimos for deflecting deer, Dease Strait); 290 (large numbers migrating in autumn from Victoria Island to mainland).

"Reindeer": MacFarlane, 1890: 32-34 (Anderson River; Eskimos hunting reindeer there; their clothing in part of deerskin); 38 (Eskimo fish nets of deer sinew); 38, 43, 47 (numerous on Anderson River).

"Barren Ground caribou": Pike, 1917 (1892): 43, 64 (near Lake Mackay); 44-46 (Lake Camsell); 48 (Arctic islands to s. part of Hudson Bay and vicinity of Fort Smith, W. to Mackenzie River; rutting season in October); 48-49 (migration); 49 (segregation of sexes; antler change); 50 (migration deflected by burning of country; thousands [Barren Ground or Woodland species?] at York Factory, about 1888-1890; depletion by hunting); 51-55 (Indian methods of hunting; economic uses); 51-52, 90 (unwariness); 56-58 (relations to Eskimos, wolves, and wolverines); 58-59 (parasitic flies); 59-60 (Indian superstition); 67, 72 (Coppermine River above Lac de Gras); 76 (near Lake Mackay; Lake Camsell); 81-82 (S. of Lake Mackay; curing of meat and hides); 89-91 (la foule); 90 (rutting season over and bucks too strong to eat, late October); 101 (mostly passed into the woods by November 11); 108 (Lake Mackay); 134 (near Lac de Mort); 148 (near Gros Cap, Great Slave Lake, January); 171, 174, 177 (N. of Great Slave Lake); 174 (bucks leaving woods in early June); 182 (Lake Aylmer); 186, 199 (Back's River, July); 201, 204 (near Lake Beechey; females with young, late July); 209 (females and young in great numbers, upper Back's River); 217 (Clinton-Colden Lake, early August); 220 (thousands at Ptarmigan Lake, August); 221 (Artillery Lake); 224, 227 (Pike's Portage).

_Rangifer Groenlandicus_ Linn.: J. B. Tyrrell, 1892: 128 (use in economy of northern Indians; weight; antler shedding; pelage change; infestation with warbles); 129 (wintering between Churchill River and Lake Athabaska; collecting on frozen lakes); 130 (Indian hunters killing 100-400 apiece; Fond du Lac, Lake Athabaska, on a main migratory path).

_Rangifer Groenlandica_ Linn.: Dowling, 1893: 89 (Bear Head Lake [N. of Great Slave Lake]); 92 (near Lake Mackay, June 22); 103 (a favorite crossing on Great Fish River near Musk-ox Lake); 107 (Pike's expedition living mainly on caribou; migrations; does fawning near the sea-coast, bucks following behind; horns in velvet prized as food by Indians).

"Barren Ground caribou": J. B. Tyrrell, 1894: 441 (_Alectoria jubata_, a lichen, at Daly Lake, as food of caribou); 442 (immense herd--"tens of thousands"--at Carey Lake, July 29; tormented by black flies; animals lean and poor); 445 (Eskimo wearing deerskin coat; Lady Marjorie Lake, lower Dubawnt River); 446 (caribou plentiful in country traversed as far as Baker Lake; last one shot there September 3).

"Barren Ground Caribou": Russell, 1895: 48 (a mass of caribou passing Fort Rae for 14 days in 1877); 49 (a section of antler used by Indian as a powder horn); 49-50 (caribou N. of North Arm of Great Slave Lake, November); 50 (leaping high in air at start; Indian hunting methods); 51 (Indian use of meat; albino specimen; antler growth and shedding; thousands near Bathurst Inlet, April; does fawning along sea coast in June).

"Deer": J. B. Tyrrell, 1895: 440 (deer meat bartered by Chipewyans at Brochet); 442-443 (Indians hunting deer at Ennadai Lake; large numbers encountered there; Eskimos skinning deer on upper Kazan River); 444 (deerskin clothing purchased from Eskimos on Kazan River); 445 (no deer seen in rocky country along Ferguson River).

_Rangifer Graenlandicus_ . . .: J. B. Tyrrell, 1896: 13 (S. in winter to Reindeer Lake and Mudjatick and Foster Rivers); 63 (migrating past Fond du Lac, Lake Athabaska).

"Caribou": Whitney, 1896: 157, 238, 241 (migrations); 161 (fat, pemmican, and dried meat); 175 (use of dried meat by Dogribs); 176 (tepees of caribou skin); 202-206 (vicinity of Fort Enterprise); 210 (near Point Lake); 210, 213 (Dogrib hunting methods); 237 (importance to Indians; weight; an albino); 238-239 (antler shedding); 239 (warble and nostril flies; persecution by wolves); 240 (seasonal condition of flesh; distribution; recent decrease); 242 (wasteful killing by Indians; variation in wariness); 252, 268-269 (S. of Coronation Gulf); 262 (shoulder-blade as Indian talisman).

_Rangifer Groenlandicus_. . .: J. B. Tyrrell, 1897: 10, 49-50, 165 (herd of 100,000 to 200,000 at Carey Lake, Dubawnt River, late July); 12 (plentiful near Thelon-Dubawnt junction; scarce at Baker Lake, early September); 14 (S. of Dawson Inlet); 19, 124 (large numbers, Ennadai Lake, mid-August); 21, 140, 142 (plentiful along Ferguson River, September); 76 (plentiful along Dubawnt River); 122, 131-132 (hunted by Chipewyans, Ennadai Lake and Kazan River); 126-127, 131-132 (hunted by Eskimos, upper Kazan River); 134 (many near Yathkyed Lake); 150-151 (near source of Owl River, Manitoba; hunted by Indians, Wapinihikiskow Lake); 166-167 (hunting by Chipewyans and Eskimos; use for food, clothing, and kayaks).

_Rangifer tarandus arcticus_. . .: Lydekker, 1898: 47-48 (description); 48 (distribution); 48-49 (migration; food).

_Rangifer tarandus_ (Linn.): Russell, 1898: 88 (great numbers passing Fort Rae for 14 days in 1877); 89 (N. of Fort Rae); 90 (leaping into air at start); 91 (use of flesh by Dog Ribs; albino specimen); 111, 113, 119 (upper Coppermine River region, abundant in March); 134 (caribou-skin clothing worn formerly by Loucheux at Fort McPherson); 139 (on Mackenzie Delta in 1850); 168 (caribou-skin lodge at Fort Rae); 169-172 (caribou-skin clothing among Dog Ribs); 176 (caribou-skin drum at Fort Rae; use of sinew); 178 (caribou-skin gun cases among Indians); 187-189 (caribou-skin clothing among Eskimos); 225 (antler change); 226 (albino; food; distribution and migrations); 227 (abundant along coast between Mackenzie River and Cape Bathurst, 1894; deer snares; spearing; hunting); 228-229 (utilization by Eskimos and Indians; parasitic flies).

"Barren Ground Caribou," "deer," or "reindeer": J. W. Tyrrell, 1908 (1898): 77-78 (Barlow Lake; Carey Lake, thousands, late July); 79 (weight 100-400 lb.; molt); 79-80 (antler change); 80 (relation of prongs to age; migration; food; reproduction); 80-81 (utilization of meat, skins, and sinew); 87-88 (Dubawnt Lake); 97 (lower Dubawnt River); 98 (Wharton Lake); 123-138 (utilization by Eskimos); 139-141 (hunting by Eskimos); 174-177 (near Dawson Inlet); 206-207 (E. of Churchill River); 215 (mouth of Nelson River [Woodland or Barren Ground species?]); 241 (importance to natives).

"Caribou" or "reindeer": Jones, 1899: 328-332, 342-343, 353-355 (Fort Reliance and vicinity); 329 (weight); 338, 340, 365, 394 (Artillery Lake and vicinity); 342 (Indian corral or trap); 359 (noonday rest of caribou); 368 (immense band, Clinton-Colden Lake, early March); 374 (tens of thousands of does daily, Clinton-Colden Lake, moving N., March); 374-375 (relations to wolves); 381 (abundant, near mouth of Dubawnt River, March); 390 (near lower Dubawnt River); 411 (suffering from insects); 429 (spearing by Indians).

"Deer": Lofthouse, 1899: 275 (mouth of Tha-anne River, early July).

"Caribou or deer": Hanbury, 1900: 64 (Eskimos bringing venison to Churchill and reporting deer numerous along the coast); 65 (importance of deer in northern travel; scarce along west coast of Hudson Bay in May and early June); 66-67 (very scarce at Baker Lake in June, plentiful in July); 67 (flesh unpalatable in fly-time; large bands at Aberdeen Lake, August); 69 (absent in winter on lower Thelon River; very scarce on Hanbury River, August); 71 (plentiful, Artillery Lake to Great Slave Lake, September).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson) (part): A. J. Stone, 1900: 50 (distribution; migration); 51 (Richards Island); 53 (antlers; does and fawns moving N. in May, Franklin Bay; sprawling posture of hind leg); 57 (disastrous results of whalers' demands for meat; Darnley Bay; Bathurst Isthmus).

"Caribou": J. M. Bell, 1901a: 16 (vast herds near Dismal Lake; use by Eskimos).

"Caribou": J. M. Bell, 1901b: 252 (furnishing food and clothing for Hare Indians, Great Bear Lake); 255 (use by Eskimos near Coppermine River; vast herds); 258 (plentiful, but decreasing, S. of Great Bear Lake; wanton killing by Indian and Eskimos).

"Caribou": Boas, 1901: 52, 54 (Eskimo garments of caribou skin, Cumberland Sound); 81 (Eskimos hunting caribou with harpoons); 102, 107 (Eskimo clothing of caribou skin, w. coast of Hudson Bay); 150 (albino caribou).--1907: 465 (Eskimos W. of Hudson Bay dependent on caribou); 474 (caribou plentiful on Southampton Island and larger than on mainland); 493 (caribou-hunting at Pond's Inlet); 501 (taboo against killing albino caribou, W. of Hudson Bay).

[_Rangifer_] _arcticus_ (Rich.): Elliot, 1901: 37 ("Barren grounds of Arctic America, north of the tree limit, to the shores and islands of the Arctic Ocean"; diagnosis).

_Rangifer tarandus arcticus_ . . . (part): Lydekker, 1901: 38-40 (description).

"Reindeer and caribou (Rangifer caribou)": W. J. McLean, 1901: 5 (Great Slave Lake, annual arrival on August 12; hunting and utilization by Indians); 6 (antler growth and change; migration; trails; swimming).

_Rangifer tarandus_ . . . (part): Beddard, 1902: 298 ("circumpolar").

_Rangifer arcticus_ . . .: Elliot, 1902: 259 ("in 1856 they migrated to latitude 47° in great numbers to Lake Huron" [???]); 260, 274-275 (migrations); 273 (Arctic regions, W. to Coppermine and Mackenzie Rivers); 276 (food; fat); 276-277 (utilization by Indians and Eskimos); 277-279 (native hunting methods); 279-280 (antlers shed by old bucks in December and January, carried by young bucks till spring, and by does till birth of fawns); 281-282, 286-287 (description).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson): Preble, 1902: 41 (50 and 25 miles S. of Eskimo Point; pursued by wolves; attacks of insects); 42 (flashing a white throat-patch; summation of previous records; ranging S. to Churchill River and Reindeer Lake); 42-43 (pelage described).

"Caribou": J. W. Tyrrell, 1924 (1902): 15 (Fort Reliance, Great Slave Lake); 17 (Pike's Portage); 18-20 (Artillery Lake); 26 (nearly all gone farther N., only stragglers remaining along Hanbury River, early July); 27-28 (numerous tracks but few animals, middle Thelon River, early July; hundreds killed by spring ice or Eskimos); 31 (large band moving S., Thelon River, July 23); 33-35 (between Thelon River and Artillery Lake); 37 (great bands of caribou the chief food supply in Thelon River region).

_Rangifer articus_ . . . (part): Grant, 1903: 186 (Barren Grounds W. of Hudson Bay, W. to Mackenzie River, S. in winter to Churchill River and Reindeer Lake; threatened with extinction by whalers); 189 (Salisbury Island).

"Deer": Hanbury, 1903: 185 (between Lake Pelly and Arctic coast, May).

"Caribou" or "deer": Hanbury, 1904: 8 (Marble Island and Chesterfield Inlet, June); 9 (Baker Lake, July); 10 (large bands migrating S., Aberdeen Lake, early August); 14 (scarce, Hanbury River); 16 (plentiful, Lockhart River); 30 (Pike's Portage, late July); 31 (Artillery Lake); 32 (Abbott Lake; scourged by warble flies); 34 (large bands migrating S., Hanbury River, late July); 41 (hunted by Eskimos near Thelon-Dubawnt junction); 43-44, 47 (Schultz Lake); 43 (voice; spearing by Eskimos); 48 (scarce, Baker Lake, early September); 49 (Chesterfield Inlet); 51 (plentiful near Marble Island, mid-September); 58 (leaving the coast, late September); 67 (dressing of skins by Eskimos); 70, 72 (killed by Eskimos, Baker Lake); 73 (thousands at Baker Lake; fierce combats between old bucks in October rutting season); 75 (deerskin roof of igloo); 82 (deerskin clothing of Eskimos); 84, 88-90 (NW. of Baker Lake, November); 85 (unwariness); 89 (pursuit by wolves); 93 (bucks remaining all winter on Back's River); 95 (numerous, Chesterfield Inlet; in December the old bucks had dropped their antlers); 100 (near Depot Island); 104-107 (Chesterfield Inlet region); 108 (does migrating N. in April); 111 (plentiful, Baker Lake, March); 113 (many, Schultz Lake, March); 114-115, 123 (snow pitfalls made by Eskimos); 115, 116 (numerous, Aberdeen Lake, March); 116 (antlers of bucks commencing to grow); 118 (NW. of Aberdeen Lake; buck weighing 280 lb.); 119 (Buchanan River); 120 (migration; many remaining on Barrens all winter; deer meat essential to Eskimos on Back's River); 121 (frequent famine among Indians and Eskimos; caribou formerly migrating S. and W. to Forts Simpson and Providence); 127-131 (Pelly Lake and vicinity); 131 (antics; jumping and trotting); 133-137 (near Ogden Bay); 133 (majority of does shedding antlers by late April); 135 (ravens feeding on carcasses); 137 (warbles eaten by Eskimos); 139 (caribou wintering on Kent Peninsula, at Cape Barrow, and on Victoria Island); 143 (Arctic coast Eskimos going inland, summer and fall, to live on deer); 149 (White Bear Point); 153-167 (mainland near Kent Peninsula); 164-174 (Bathurst Inlet); 177, 185-197 (scarce, Cape Barrow to Coppermine River); 194 (molting, July; suffering from mosquitoes); 200-208 (lower Coppermine River); 209, 210 (Kendall River); 215-221 (Dismal Lake); 223, 229-233 (Dease River); 232 (rubbing trees).

_Rangifer arcticus_ . . . (part): Hornaday, 1904: 136 (Great Bear and Great Slave Lakes to Cape Bathurst); 137 (Carey Lake; migration); 138 (weight; antlers).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson): Stone and Cram, 1904: 52 (description; Arctic islands to Hudson Bay and Mackenzie River; migration; rutting in October; sexual segregation); 53 (food; Mackay Lake; grunting). (Chiefly quoted from Pike, 1892.)

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson) (part): Elliot, 1905: 401 ("Barren grounds of Arctic America north of the tree limit, to the shores and islands of the Arctic Ocean").

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson): MacFarlane, 1905: 680 (Mackenzie Basin; depletion through wanton slaughter by Indians); 681-682 (Anderson River, in winter; hunting and utilization by Eskimos and Indians); 682-683 (albino); 683 (trade in skins; wintering at Prince of Wales Strait and Mercy Bay, Banks Island; migration between Arctic islands and mainland); 684-685 (table of migration at Reindeer Lake); 692-693 (predation by wolves).

_R[angifer] arcticus_. . .: J. A. Allen, 1908a: 488 (specimens from near Wager River described); 490 (migration).

_Rangifer arctica_ (Richardson): J. A. Allen, 1908b: 584 (type locality, Fort Enterprise).

"Reindeer": Amundsen, 1908, +1+: 76 (Boothia); 83-84 (King William Island, September); 97 (reported formerly at Simpson Strait in large herds in autumn); 99 (20 killed, King William Island, late September); 102-106 (common in October, passing S. over Simpson Strait; very shy; no wolves on King William Island); 120 (Eskimos trading skins); 200 (King William Island, first reindeer of season seen, June); 201 (supplied by Eskimos); 224 (Simpson Strait); 235, 241-243 (King William Island, September); 237 (Eskimos hunting in September); 247 (large herds passing over ice of Simpson Strait); 248 (King William Island, October 15); 326-329 (hunting and utilization by Eskimos in Boothia; few reindeer coming N. as early as May).--1908, +2+: 110 (many killed by Eskimos, King William Island); 311-316 (several, April); 322-325 (Royal Geographical Society Islands).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson) (part): Preble, 1908: 137 (Barren Grounds and islands northward; Great Bear Lake to Hudson Bay; economy; probably two or more races; E. of Fort Smith in winter; long ago S. to Fort McMurray); 138 (in 1902-03 to Cree Lake; large numbers, Great Slave to Great Bear lakes; lower Coppermine River); 139 (migration); 139-143 (summation of previous records); 214 (wolves living largely on caribou).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson): J. A. Allen, 1910: 8 (7 August specimens from Artillery and Aylmer lakes; measurements and weight).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson): Seton, 1911: 206-262, 341 (Artillery, Ptarmigan, Clinton-Colden, and Aylmer lakes; habits); 210 (voice); 220, 258-260 (numbers); 225-226 (relation to wolves); 259-262 (slaughter by natives and whalers).

_Rangifer arcticus_. . .: Cameron, 1912: 127 (place in economy of Caribou-eater Chipewyans; migration; on Lake Athabaska in winter); 309 (Fort Rae as a "meat-post" for the Mackenzie District).

"Caribou": Wheeler, 1912: 199 (Fort Enterprise and Coppermine River; 1910 a very poor caribou year; females and yearlings taken in April; females [only?] wintering between Rae and Enterprise, and largely exterminated; usual numbers in 1911; large migration of males commenced May 18); 200 (between Coppermine River and Bathurst Inlet; by June 10 all caribou beyond [N. of] Coppermine River).

"Barren ground caribou": R. M. Anderson, 1913a: 5 (recent great decrease); 6 (stragglers left in Mackenzie Delta region; great diminution along Arctic coast E. to Cape Parry, since recent advent of whaling ships; great numbers on Victoria Island in summer, crossing to mainland for winter; Great Bear Lake and Coppermine River; drives and spearing by Eskimos); 6, 8 (importance to Eskimos for clothing and meat); 8 (poor sight of caribou; hunting methods).

_Rangifer arcticus_ (Richardson): R. M. Anderson, in Stefánsson, 1913b: 502 (importance in native economy; recent enormous decrease; few left in Eskimo Lakes region, on Cape Bathurst, and at Langton and Darnley Bays; great number in summer on Victoria Island, migrating to the mainland); 503 (Great Bear Lake; Coppermine River; occurrence on Arctic coast at any season; Eskimos driving them between lines of stone monuments into water and there spearing them); 504 (hunting methods; senses; infestation by bot-fly); 504-505 (fawning); 505 (geographical variation; antler growth and change); 505-506 (fat); 516 (relations to wolves).

_"Caribou"_: Stefánsson, 1913a: 93 (ravens in Arctic feeding on caribou left by wolves); 94 (caribou moving N., Prince Albert Sound, Victoria Island, May 12); 95-96 (migrating across Dolphin and Union Strait, March and May); 99 (plentiful on Dease River, winter of 1910-11; abundant on lower Coppermine River, March; no great numbers cross central Coronation Gulf; wintering on coast E. of Coppermine; many moving N. across w. Coronation Gulf and Dolphin and Union Strait, April and May, and w. Victoria Island, May); 100 (migration across Kent Peninsula and in se. Victoria Island); 102 (E. of Cape Bexley); 103, 106 (numbers wintering on Banks Island, but few or none on Victoria Island); 105 (Eskimos hunting caribou in summer on s. Victoria Island); 106 (caribou wintering from Cape Bathurst to Kent Peninsula; migration N. across Coronation Gulf and Dolphin and Union Strait, April 1-May 20, and S. in the fall as soon as the ice is strong enough; tens of thousands on Dease River in late October; differences between Victoria Island and mainland specimens).