The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-02-28
JiSit to an Indian Village iIt
4i0Sh0.


A correspondent of the Boston Journal
g-ves the following account Of visit to
an Indian village in Alaska:
The dwellings or lodges are about
twenty five feet square, built of logs,
ABOUT ten feet posted, and extended in
line along the water front. | counted
over eighty dug out cedar canoes mOOrets
in front and fastened by ropes made
of the wild nettie, which grows abun-
dainty on the island and is covered with
a coating of the TOUGHEST fiJre. Around
each cabin is group of wolf faced dogs,
which lie torpidly during the day and
howl dismally at night. Five or six
slippery steps lead up to Il hole not I'M
like the Openin in a kennel-then there
was an equal descent down greasy steps
to what is called the floor. In the cen
tire burns a huge log fire-the sticks laid
crosswise, in dollhouse fashion. The
smoke works its way up through an
opening in the roof. Seated around the
fire in abject laziness were all the occu-
pants, old and young of both sexes.
They have no tables, few low stools,
a large mum Der of wooden trays, copper
kettles, horn ladies, bowls and spoons,
and numerous variety ofwOOden spears,
lances and darts pointed with bone and
ivOiJ.
The most curious articles of workman
ship are the ladies and dishes, W ought
out of the horns of the wild mountain
sheep which live on the mountains of
the mainland. They are a fleet animal,
and every traveller who has tarried long
about the Cascade range will well re-
member how he has seen item leap
down from Gag to crag, striking pom
their hons and founding again upon
their feet 18th fieetness which no 9TH
erquad- uped can equal. The ladies have
long handles fancifully carved in imita-
tlon of gOose's neck and head, or the
leg and hOof of the dee Some Of these
ladies will hold three quarts. The cafs
is a wooden aft five feet long, trimmed
with a bone socket at the end. In this
socket is inserted an ivory point sharply
barbed The point is detached and being
fastened by a string, the animal drags
the wooden missile, till wearied he falls
an easy prey.
In each of these native lodges are little
coop like apartments ranged along the
wells, which serve at night for separate
sleeping rooms, and in which the respec-
tive owners store their choice goods.
Piled ON the top Of these rooms are
heaps of smoked sal ron, game, skins,
and variety of articles emitting OdO
most ancient and fish like. Our entrance
into their cabins did not disturb or sur
prise them in the slightest degree =
They were ready, but not anxious, to
trade with us. Like other human be-
ings, they are disposed to treat every
one well who treats them well-at least
| have invariably found this to be the
case when traveli jg among the aborigi-
nal race of this coast. Now and then
we saw an invalid in their lodges, vic
TINS of consumption, and showing the
same symptoms here as in the Eastern
States. Flint lock muskets are hung
up in every lodge, for the Russians years
ago furnished them with firearms to kill
the wild fowl, but never allowed them
to shoot for animals with the gun, as
the noise will lead them to seek new
haunts.
The females are not abused 50 badly
by their husbands az fmong the tribes
east of the Rocky Mountains. They have
less drudgery to perform, and pa tici-
pate in all hunting ant. fishing excI =
sions. They have the hideous practice
Of streaking aid sometimes entirely COW
ering their faces with black pal 1t. At
first was told it was badge of mourn
ing, but its frequency led to second
inquiry, when / found it was an ancient
custom. Their complexion is much
fairer than in California, and is shade
lighter than in Minnesota. Still, I'M
like the Onalaskan maidens, none of
them have chubby" pleasant faces.
SOrIe of them have been ma riedto Rus
sian labore.s and proud of their associa-
ton with the Caucasion race, mai tain
q strict fidelity. Yet these are excep-
tio1al instances. In no native language
on this coast is there any word to desig-
nate female virtue.