The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-27
CURIOUS CUSTOMS IN A1AsKA.
How the indians Hold Communication with
Evil ~pirus-Mgrringe.

Ffo,a me sun trdnoacl CXsOu,lr
These Indians believe la evil spirits who
live IN toe water aud send sickness ana disease
ainoug tue peope-H belief u which tue occa-
sional disasters caused oN muzsel Or 1sh poIsou-
uunicutiun with these spirits through their
s0rcer r.. but do not worship them IN any way
or try To propitiate them with offerings. when
kolOsh dies his body Is burned. and n rude
monument placed where the ashes are buried.
Ihey believe tn the spiit lives forever. but
u We no idea OF any reward for virtue or pun
ishment for vice. According to their belief
s'nct dis inctun OF rank - preserved IN the
other world all the chiefs being In ne place,
the common people In another. and the .laves IN
corner by themselves. Only when slaves are
killed at the tuner | OF their chief their souls
remain in eternal attendance np their master.
his cruel custom was lid 80 he abolished uu.
der the Russian rule, tut IL ALWAYS ha. xi-t4d
aud l. kept mp to the preset ne dav. ttuueh the
cereu pnics are performed out OF tie reach IT
tue authorities Ssver,,i a. ses Of ms kiud h,vt
occ fred snce the transfer Of the territory, VA
spite Of the vigilance OF che 5uthosties, and no
wunder.as oar Government IS done nothing to
suppress slavery where Il exlsts tignt under the
very eyes Of military rdle. When a child is born
II II Carried and nursed bv the mother until II Is
aole 20 crawl and munich away on dried salmon:
then the scanlS clothlns or tur with which 1t
was covered ~ llrst is removed. and to strenet tn
en It's constitution, the child Is immersed in tho
river or sea every morning but rs their own
parents would be likely To yirld To the piteous
cues II the litle martyrs to Gi-oinline, this duty
10 generally ln'rusted to IN uncle or some otner
Tel tive. WHO stops all weeping aud roaming
WITH literal appAcau II Of tue switch. he
children Implicitly obey tncir u rent, nj All
ages, and great care Is bestowed upon the old
and disabled. Orphans are always prc,iG rd for
Oy the community, and iare as well as
any OF the other children. when a young
IN IA wishes,o marry, he nr,t asks the consent
OF his parents. and when tn 4 T. ottIlued he
goes to the village where his intended Ives and
sends prop through $ me N Itull friend"
nnd If the answer is fiyprabl' ne reaaiis TO tho
house ~ once with some presents for the par
ents ana relatives of the tirl, aud then takes
immediate possession Of his new chIttci with
ON any further ceremonies. \ saort timo after
tnls the new Benedick pays a visit 10 lis wife's
relations IN company VITA her, and n she his
noihin- e. cImpl in Of then, presents must he
made TO hun and his bfdt, e1cec flag ia value
those he made az nrst. The knloski only tegArd
relationship on the mothers side, and the sue
ctssion and Inheritance arr confined to tue fe-
made In. PoNEamy IL the general custom, and
exists even among the Christian kenaitze, where
IL IS tolerated by the native and Ia f-breed
priests in the families Of chiefs. The wives
often quarrel, and 81 los with knives and dag
gers are not OF very rare occurrence.