Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-26

be the finest ever written, as the scenery
through which we pass is Incompatible.
will read an extract from my report to
the Secretary of the Treasury in 1869:
! The grandeur and beauty of the scenery
OF Alaska, particularly in the Sitkan Archi
pelago, cannot be too extravagantly describ.
ed. One may pass among the islands for a
| thousand miles through channels of varying
width from twenty rods to twenty miles
having on either hand lofty mountains rising
rom The deep water almost perpendicularly
IN many places, and ranging from five hun
dred to five thousand feet high. Innumera-
BE riVulets forming sparkling cascades, dash
down the mountain sides, or leap at once
into the sea from the verge of some precipice
In winter the frost line is distinctly marked
on the slopes, and the surprising beauty of
the evergreen forests below, in contrast with
the shining, snow-capped peaks above, can
not fail to awaken the dullest sensibility,
In summer the distant snowy heights wear
an aspect OF refreshing coolncss, which, to
the deDIzens OF our crowded eastern cities in
quest OF health, it would be a delight to
witness. In no part of our country will the
Courist, botanist, naturalist, or geologist,
ind richer field for observation than here
At the mouth of the Stikine river two
hundred miles east of Sitka, is a glacier
formed from the water which rises far up
between the mountains. OF these masses of
ice you have no doubt often read in descrip-
tions of scenery IN the Alps The water,
coming ID the surface at a great elevation, is
frozen at once. and the heavy mass of ice at
the upper part of the gorge, constantly pushes
that which is below down towards the wa
ter edge, where it breaks off in small ice
oergs. At all seasons this process goes on.
Those who settle near this point will have
no need to build ice houses.
Between Victoria and Sitka there are with
in my recollection ten distinct tribes of In
dlans on the coast, neither one of which can
understand the language of the other, but
all speak more or less fuently the language
of still another tribe as a Ia cans of commu-
MICA lion. In the eastern part of the terri
tory there is plenty of timber, and the ma
tives construct their houses, generally, near
the waters edge, from thin slabs split from
the largest pine.
In the village of the Tschimpsians, at the
southern boundary of Alaska, | measured
some of the slabs from which their houses
were built. The largest found was eight
feet long and three-fourths of an inch thick,
and four feet 40 inches wide, or a trfe
wider than any lumber we are able to find
IN Vermont. These slabs had been prepared
wholly by the Indians with their rude tools
Their canoes are dug out with narrow adzes
from the largest pines, and to make them
wider at the top and more faring, they steam
them by placing water in them, into which
heated stones are thrown. Their war canoes
carry from sixty to eighty warriors each.
When fully manned with painted halEnaked
bowling savages, they present rather for
mIdabie aspect to those who are unaccus-
toned to see them.
These Ischlmpslans live in locality where
they are particularly favored in their ability
to obtain an abundant supply Of food almost
at their very doors. At given date, never
varying more than three days from the 18th
Of May, comes the Oulichan or candle fish,
sO-called from the fact that the large guam
tity of oil it contains allows it to be burned
like a candle, when dried and lighted at the
tail. The Indians catcn these fish from the
bow of their canoes, by simply passing a
long pole thickly studded with sharpened
iron spikes back through the water, and
shaking the fish which are impaled on the
spikes over into the boat. This operation is
uuLlI Inc DOdL is uiIpu, winch some
times happens at the end Of two or three
hours. The fish are then taken on shore,
piled in heaps upon the sand, and there al
lowed to remain two or three weeks, until
half put-id. and emitting horrible odor,
when they are taken up and the oil expressed
and preserved for future use. At the same
time that this process is going on, the old wo
men of the tribe are out upon the rocks at the
oohO h. 3
sea weed, which is taken into their huts,
stripped up into long ribbons, and by them
chewed; the ribbon being gradually drawn
into the mouth until that organ is full. when
it is removed and thrown into basket made
from native grass, sitting close at hand. In
due season this odorous candle oil, chew
ed sea-weed aud salmon berries-a kind of
berry resembling our raspberry-are mixed
together, and set aside for winters food.
lhe unchrstian part of this matter is, that
the oldest of the old women whose teeth are
non est, are set to do this chewing business.
| noticed when relating these facts to some
friends a few days ago, that muddy incredu
lOus cast of countenance took the place of
their former artless, ingenious look. Now
must beg leave to assure you, that pro-
pose to state nothing as facts, except such
matters as came under my own observation.
The Indians of Eastern Alaska are well
formed and stalwart, and, like other Indians,
brave, when skulking behind some tree or
los. In short, they bear 50 close resem-
blance to our natives Of the western plains,
as to cause an uncomfortable sensation about
the roots of ones hair when ih their imme-
date vicinity.
Now we have arrived at Sitka, or New
Archangel. as the Russians called it, the
largest village in Alaska, and the former
capital of the Territory. 1t formerly COM
prised population of several hundred Rus
SLAMS and Creoles. But the number has
gradually diminished, until it is doubtful
whether there are one hundred left aside
from the two companies OF United States
troops here stationed. Tho native Russians
were outdone, and cheated at every turn by
their sharper American brethren, until they
were glad TO 90 to Russia. One vessel car
ried away about four hundred of them in
1868, and many have left since that time.
The most notable popularity of these peo-
pie Is, their ability to drink strong liquors.
Their favorite beverage seems to be ninety
per cent. alcohol, diluted with about an
equal quantity of water. Several of them
possess the ability to drink this fiery mixture,
by the glassful, without the slightest effect
on the muscles of the throat, swallowing the
liquor with as little apparent effect as would
be produced by pouring water down rat
hole. In other words, they don't sUallolo
liquor, but pour it down. the bar-tenders
soon learned that it would be necessary to
reduce the size Of their glasses, as the Rus
slams were sure to fill them to the brim on
every occasion.
The Sltka Indian village is situated near
the Russian town, and is not a pleasant tea-
ture of the situation. The men of this tribe
seem to have all the vices of the most saw
age, and only the menace of the battery of
guns pointed towards their town keeps them
manageable They seem to be happiest when
dead drunk, or, when liquor cannot be had
in gambling. They play usually with a