The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-06

small wolf ghy pr hed bv the natives for Ia meat a nd
eeeu oS He ha'lst aud Ia among them Tor purposes
OF transportation
The straits between tho island and tho mainland.
called Tebcnkon sound formed by the junction of
several small channels and ar, abont twenty feet
IN hor greatest depth The tide during the summer Is
only apparent during twenty four hours and Its
average rise and fall II about eight feet though
from the peculiar action and foroes Of the wind
times rises suddenly several feet above the usual level
The natives have a tradition that point upon which
tho redoubt (for ST hiohaeb located about thirty
feet above the level of the has been or weo
submerged but nothing approaching this has been
known since It's occupation by the KussanA
Redoubt 81. Michael II located upon slope ~ tho
northwest extremity OF tho island, and was nainrd
honor of Mr. Michael rebonkon omploye of the Ku-
hbh amof'm 'onhl'nyi "hol III 10. cNP"I.u N"i'oh
Sound, and founded this settlement during the follow
ing year
The post comprises present dwelling for ua
Supcrntc barracks for tho garrison tconsrng 90
about nifty men wash and bath houses store house AID
magazine. and chapel, built IN lhi2-aIl Occupying
space Of about nty yards square, and surrounded by
wooden fence about hfteen feet high, having b0r
hodses AZ the northeast and southwest coner ~ Nhh
are mounted a few six FOUNDERS Outtidc u The wals
are a forge and one or two necessary buildings Tho
buildings substantial and comfortable IN app afanc9,
aud composed principally OF driltwood, which nnds .
way hther In large quantities from tho kirchpnk ns'f
forced by the peculiar cnnfnt
the nrst a,poafnce Of the Rtssanr were quite ouion-
but now number only about seyenyhvo Inhabitants, al
told.
The location OF tho post was selected by the Russian.
American Company cyldentiy with reference %
~ trading faces than m accessibility or con oui1ncr
enure iur trade OF the hirchpak ami thc nNern AZ.
country lying 10 the north far kOtzcbcn sound aid
the Arctic. They found commercial relations cNlsting
between the natives of The kirchpak and those o tho
far north. Taiee, Of the settlements already re-
meeting for these natives thor annual trading eAcnr-
sonA Hther came tho Nalusmoots, Who dwell lar 10
the north and wost, aud are large and powerful ube,
bringing with them tobacco, reindeer hides, wafnn 81 10
and bubber aud iron and copper knives and pos ~h,h
they exchanged with the Kr hpakmoois for fun Of tha
land ouer beaver, marten mink Ac and Tor dfiei ht
wooden utensils. IL for long time fnyscfy af
u whence tho Malugmoos and other northern natives
obtained these iron and copper utensils aud tobacco but
evident that they carried extensive trade With
Ichonktoi and other tribes of Northern Siberia VA tho
fun which they obtained from the inhabitants of thu
Knhpak and country to the east OF Norton sound
Thus large quantities of valuable furs annually f"unI
their way Into Siberia and Il Was with view 10 control
this important uanc that The Russ American COM
pnny sought TO eEtablh post AT thus point Ia ui1
they have in grcat measure succeeded, ~ Rehoubt ~
Michael Is the centre at which ee gathered To-
gehcr tho furs collected at minor posts ON ,h"
kirchpak oonankk, Oonnaka and oona rivers aud Tho
Sound, and from which railas all the clylzng innu-
cnoes which introduced We have no means OF az
certanng the amount Of trade annually fanEarted here
but next TO New Archangc fstkal II Is the most impor
tani post Of the Russian American Company on tho
| northwest coast .f America.
The character Of the natives Of Norton Sound
Interior judging from Appearances and from the accounts
given by ZRgaskin aud otbcr s superior In every
spec 10 that Of the ,ribs lnhabiting the northwest
coast OF america generally dh9.o whom memb.fs on
fair Representatives, Of those IN the Interior While thoss
seen at Povr Bay the Asinc coast have the saipo
goneral appearance All OF tho-c tribes and peoples.
when questioned 10 their origin, invariably answer
that their forcfahers camo from th. NORTH and most
travellers agree IN tracing connection between them
and the Esqulmaur both from the similarity Of Ian
guago and customs and from thor general appearance
But little has been done towards tho investigation Of hs
subject however None Of tho celebrated nav gators
who have visited these from Cook the present
time. have given uE anything approaching 10 Close "'y-
noogoal obscry Atlons and the Russians Who moet
intimate with these people much al<ornsd
IN Their commercial pursuits 10 etnuiine them sclen-
tGcnly, AT best have preserved bat scaniy notsr,
1 rcd 40
with theu private memofnnda OF the oompanyt buHi-
ness
The natives seen by The members of tho eIpedition
were above medium height, erect vol proporioned.
actiye and In thcif movements Their conbie-
nsnces eaprcfs intelligence and good baiure while u'y
seem To be doole and eager TO learn Adopting 10 many
respects the manners Of the whites by whom ,hey ara
surrounded. they yet seem 10 retain their ba'ye tin-
nj city nOdcsty OF charnctsf The cbsfhrtsf
isiics fai 10 belong TO all these northern people"
They said 10 become good traders having good mem
oreE and toerably quick perceptions Hospitality IL
prominent chAracerisuc among all unciyixsd peoples
and nowhere noticeable than among thss- fhty
do not associate themselves together Ia srss organized
tribes the q the Indians oNthe interior q
North America bot r-side In families 80
remotely connected ty marriage or c1mrnsrt al
relations They have a~ and icoofni1e The authority
| Of no chi'is Certain families, ds,nsushed ~ tb"t
abilities traders AMI conseqnsnt wealth. acquire
powerful Influence and their Afsrs % constantly sugbt
| Where there ia no a~ crimc cannot b. defined De
however, very poaooaby inclined, ana u Ia sad thai
ihcsng from each other b. almost ansno~n They arr
"A
though rich tTHdcrs have tao wives uss
nrst Of which however, IL aoho considered lawful
| They have no poor among them spccies ~ oon4-
mgHlsm pfactsed ibe richer 90 more foftanai" fam
lies dividing thcir f4bstancs Among The needy Their
anse from Tie opfortgniy Affords them for making
| prs nu 10 usr friends and Celebrating pfopery
| their religious festivals pafu'1iAry ih",e Ia
| honor ~ ho dead lev burning NE bod
| though moro commonly they bsnsa. Asd ns
grstrs ofnamentod eh stascs PAINTED ~ih fantastic
| ana ,afiguf cDlpfed Image Fanhies ut-Aly ha >
thr.s otfsf4i .fasurf q mourning fpf ths Gecsas~i
folaigca. lstlfea tis msnr0n Di u,ir Eafuos th'r
4 daily lrayers and onoe tru nf'fn YEAR, al To
u ~ AIT of asction, snlbfarng many miles met
fof general mourning, sh.rb clbuubs4 f0f sevsi-i
days a. wlich pr,aenr afe s1rhangtd unBcs o.rr-d.
| AMI the rch diside their pfoleuy
Tbosc people appear qlit nsal and eisauly ,ontsref
stb bose seen fafiser aopu The n1sn ,eai n.s' bar
cut short 90 closely sLasfn Tho women fsu their ia
ths mddIs of The bead a. 'sirn a brhni ~it ian.
eig pm q ., D..e % '.'ns -n,aAl a "a,
oruancnfs The iosef nps and cafs never gting us
nasal cartilage 81 this pur-a Al dfess ~ skins ar4
| rantaloons sith ne fsr inside; the wonbsn
lao pairs obs, tbe shof'sf hAibg the far ,srnsd "a,
| the other tho for tunnel cot Tia IArta
| "a lore hung garnsnt fos@mbl ~ sbff'. mads -
deerrkln sih the fgr onl sofh by bsh sftss-tsi -
The women bsiDs somsaDss opsn At ,be 3D. -bis iI.i
of the men olen only The top sni ttionn snd -
n ef necessary aud unsfu sffifls ~ dfs rhr-
| for wintef, called iebasa arc msas from us an -
the lsss % ne reindeer wth orhaisfhtA sss.nss sh.-
| tbsae for Fufnfnff male ffnm br "a ~ Va"
ussE 20 the sal Tho tofs - al aor- AZ mas
! " strong seal pgrus his, s-n r.fr aihsiy.
! npanas - salls mink md m1ssfs us brpssh ffsfn
| ,hs KIrclpsk ana nnd iLsf ssy into hor,Lsas'srn
Ea, ,hs drsss q ~ females ~ bs family hgs,sba
"a, fsL., silI Ftafs 10 sITsnse It4s fssat "pafsS
| "A. f,utu nsn ssln. vh.le N p-sslbl~ neatly
I,ss,sf -h q4Iis snc bssds Vafciased f'vsn tts
Irborkta and suopan dressed la - fLsns uimmsf
! .ts srnlns sssrns SAey White isgsihss AEd L.ss
drrss of 40 - ana sssHs dsrb IA nst snsr4esfa -
] anrifsfins sght
klal aE1 sffs ussd for niiisns ssf children
rioihins sLlie usifssiI nd to Ind a1f tts
edge a "fAfkas iof The kitisnr usei rhsn rf-
"a made ~ b~srssin ssd fesrfnbs srs and 40
pssranfe the gfsnassf csgr fngft porn ~ ua militia
COMPANIES -fnai San dfssast by The sutnsn tis
ofsrAlon eohasiiug SIMPLY IN tsct a The fai ut 10
fsin1tsf aLd ottef arg tsnf dfsns By tts
vho smear them sib fsrmsIisd Lsh spsss Asd fsb
them bsfofs ffs
Hsndssf sfe sho, ~ caagh. sith iAss9 Al plsss
uhlhsf thsY rarss frts ffefiyus " tAs FstusHsrt
~ tLe Rassana staui ihs sognc tis istss Tie eny