He appealed to some of his generous
friends and they subscribed sufficient money to undertake the
experiment.
In 1907 three hundred reindeer were purchased and landed safely at St.
Anthony, Newfoundland. With experienced Lapland herders to care for
them they were turned loose in the open country. For a time the herd
grew and thrived and the prospects for complete success of the
experiment were bright.
It was Doctor Grenfell's policy to first demonstrate the usefulness of
reindeer in Newfoundland, and finally transfer a part of the herd to
Labrador. The great difficulty that stood in the way of rearing the
animals in eastern Labrador was the vicious wolf dogs. It was obvious
that dogs and reindeer could not live together, for the dogs would
hunt and kill the inoffensive reindeer just as their primitive
progenitors, the wolves, hunt and kill the wild caribou.
Because of the dogs, no domestic animals can be kept in eastern
Labrador. Once Malcolm MacLean, a Scotch settler at Carter's Basin, in
Hamilton Inlet, imported a cow. He built a strong stable for it
adjoining his cabin.
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