The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-06-27
The Native Alaskans-Their Customs
and Belief.


] the Tou-ka-tats. Each tribe has one
village, or number of villages, lying
on the edge of the water, and the
] houses of which are built of logs, and
are often 100 feet square, the fronts be-
ing carved in grotesque, with figures rep
resentinp characters in the mythology
of the tribe. II must not be thought
that these houses are constructed in an
entirely unartistic style. The fronts
are carved, the roofs are board covered
with the bark of the cedar or spruce.
The entrance is often circular and,
when at n necessary elevation from the
ground, to be reached by flight Of
stairs. Usually there is but ons room,
in which, however, are platforms which,
ranging round tho four sides OF the
house. are used as occasion may re-
| ouire. Directly below the center OF
| the dwelling is the fireplace, around
/ which. when one enters, he finds the oc-
cupants living stretched mt their ease,
| or polishing or repairing the utensils OF
| the household, while the women are
/ cooking. weaving, or embroidering.
| In each village is a sort of fortress sur
rounded by palisades pierced for mus
| kerry. The Hydas are a tall, stalwart
race having well-formed features and
| light complexion. Being savages, they
are suspicious, treacherous, and addicted
| to debauchery whenever opportunity -
offered: but, unlike the Indians OF Ar-
zona, they are, after n fashion, skllliul
as mechanics, and comparatively clean.
They make fine, sword-like knives OF
steel and copper cups, dishes, spoons,
and the like mats, blankets, charms,
and above all, war canoes, which are
admirably adapted TO their purpose.
Last winter one of these canoes easily
mt behind IL in race a boat belonging
to the American man of-war, tn Sara
nae. Socially these Indians are at the
ton of the race, il the dictum OF Mon
tesduieu about the advantages OF an ar
istocracv is TO be considered ms valid.
They are aristocrats, and every tribe OF
them has its "nobby" families, who
speak pure tongue, and have gener-
ally notions of how things should be
done which are above those OF the aver
age From these families the chiefs
are always selected, each tribe having
one principal ruler with number OF
subordinates: vet no chief has unlim-
tied power, and any act which rs one
or is considered one, of usurpaton, Is
severely dealt with public quarrels are
held to concern the tribe but no cher
can have his private quarrel and enlist
his followers in it. The cause Of war
must be popular but, when issue is
once Joined. away goes all OF what we
call civilized warfare, and the Alaskan
has only to make his fight by treach-
ery f" ambush" and numbering OF wo-
men and children, although, unlike the
Indians of the plains, the Alaskan does
not torture. nor does he even scalp. Az
the end of the war most elaborate rights,
Of a religious as well as n civic nature,
are gone through with, and then every
Indian seems TO have n determination
to stand by the terms of his treaty.
Among these tribes slavery exists, the
nersons held in servitude having been
drawn originally from British ColumDle
os rrisoners of war and now most OF
tbn sIaves are descendants of the people
tbus captured in the olden time. IL,
bowever. only the rich who have such
.o,-,,onts and the moral-the sexual
diatinction between the upper and low
or classes is well preserved. Ana,
s,aoIinp of the matter Of slavery, II
MIGHT he we'll to say that, among the
Indians of the Archipelago, women are
80 made the beasts of burden that they
are among ordinary tribes the men
v,orlr and provide for the women, Who'
os in civilized communities, merely
,,erform ordinary household work. In
connciIs it is often the case that the
odvice of women takes precedence OF
tbat of men. The religion of some OF
tbe tribes as of Klin-Kits, is peculiar,
90 n does not confirm the general no.
zion that all sayages believe in n God.
Tho Klin-Kits believe, not IN one SUI
,,ran,e beinp. but in n host OF inferior
snirits both good and evil, above whom
are Yethl and Kaugh, brothers, the hrst
La;no q benefactor of man and the
sacond n manevolent god of war, who ls
kind only to men who are brave IN Dat
tIe He sends epidemics and plagues,
LIoodsbed and havoc, and It appears 70
bo tba chief business of his brother
YotbI IN cross his plans, so that appa-
-ontIv these Indians believe IN the To-
+oI Jonravity of the human heart.
WHEN young and on the earth, Hethl
,yos fond Of killing birds, and, like the
oId Crock Zeus, was the cloud-compell-
or and would draw the clouds about
b;s nerson 10 escape from bis enenies.
HE brother. the Wolf, and himself
,,-oro az the creation kept in dark
boie Inv an old chief, and then darkness
roioned ali over the earth. The strong
chief had a lovely dan hter, and when
sba was married Yethl entered her
frame az part OF n blade of grass which
che ote then he appeared as the oid
chiefs grandson. He got into the Ola
roon's oyrac, a as n grandson has an I'M
memorial right TO, and found ont where
tbe ann moon and stars were kept no
onened the casket, and lol the lumina-
r;es sbone in the heavens, having es-
caned from captivity. OF course, the
old chief was prieved at the loss OF ms
boubIas but Yethl set up great baWl'
and the old man let him go, and nc new
away in the shape Of raven, VINO SCI
abo1t TO deliver the fresh water as no
had delivered the celestial bodies out
this was hard task, since hls maneVo-
lent brother. Kanugh, had the waters
in charge in great bag OF SKIN. one
NIGHT Kanueh fell asleep and Yethl ran
ofF with the water, and during the row
which followed the bag bursted and the
water ran ont. Kanugh hung hethl up
nv the heels he changed color ana tills
accounts for the different comple1lehs
of men. a..
THESE Indians have n system OF To-
TENS" !" and every male and female De-
longs 20 one of them. The chief totem
are Yethl, the raven; Kanugh. the
wolf Tehak, the white eagle HOots'
the brown bear and Cixaty, the beaver.
Those who belong 10 the same totem
are connected by mystic ties, a sort OF
free-masonry, and members OF the same
family always belong TO dihereht 10
TENS. The Indians have great rev,
erence for parents and ancestors, ana
take great pride in giving festivals in m
their honor. At such festivals presents
are given TO the guests which, as 1. when a
student at the most civilized uniye5slty - Se5;n.
of heidelberg has something, "dedica-
ted 10 him" must be returned in value
or in kind at some future day; and 80
binding is this custom that, If an Indian
dies without repaying what he has re-
ceiyed. his next kin must make the
measure good. Not only are festivals
given in honor of ancestors, but OF chill
dren's births, and, indeed, on all posi-
BILE occasions. for the Alaskans are a
fost;va rooa Dances and rude music,