The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-26

INTERESTING REPORT OF CAPTAIN
WHITE
As to Resources of the Country ana Char.
acter of the sitka Indians.

Port Townsend. Washington Territory,
| Sept. II, 1877 J
Hon, John Sherman, Secretary of the Treasury,
.Sb-After forwarding my report from
California, / remained at that place until the
10th, and then proceeded to visit the Hooneys,
Chilkarts, Orks, Turkoos, Hikes and Hoots
nations, embracing distance oil nearly 800
miles, returning on the 9th to Sitka. We
found the people Of the above named tribes
fish for winter use. All expressed themselves
as friendly to the whites. They are also at
peace among themselves, which has not been
| the case for many years past.
| At several places, particularly at Kike, they
were shy of the approach OF the vessels until
| fully assured of our friendly intentions. The
cause Of this fear, / soon learned, was the be-
lief, widely circulated among them, that the
ishment already inflicted on them by the
burning of their villages some years since,
but intended to carry it further. ! saw no
drHnkenness while there, but the greatest in
dustry. Taking all these Indians as o body
living, as they do, upon the sea coast in ex-
posed villages, the only means OF inter conn
munication being frail canoes, and one armed
vessel being capable Of intlicting irreparab!les
seems to me that motives OF self
interest would compel their friendship for the
white man; especially, too, as their inter
course with him has begotten wants which
which trade with the white man only can
supply; in a few words, the trade of the
white man is fast becoming a necessity.
! am convinced that the presence Of this
vessel has had a very excellent moral effect,
as numerous inquiries were made by the ma
tives as to when we would return among
them, and l purposely, left the impression
a gunboat at any time as this government
Returning to sitka without having advised
the people there Of my intention to do
So, we found everything quiet and as peace,
drunkenness and decentralization as before
reported. During our first day at Sitka,
after the departure of the mail steamer,
: / visited and examined, in company
: with Mr.. Harvey, all the government build
ings. found many windows broken, the
,, locks taken from number of inside doors OF
several houses, and all the lead pipe removed
and the roofs of most of the houses fast going
to destruction; the removal OF the locks, etc.
: is charged to the Indians.
LsBe this as 1t may, learned that these arti-
: cles had all fallen into the hands of the ira
: ders, some Of whom, am satisfied will buy
anything without stopping to ascertain the
ownership.
While at Sitka endeavored to urge ON the
people the formation OF some sort OF organiza-
tion for safety In case OF possible trouble from
drunken brawls, for under no other circum-
stances can ! see why any trouble should
. arise.
l.
/. which exists Of having some one at the head
Z of affairs with energy and force OF character,
able to command the respect OF all and one
T upon whose reports the department can de-
8 pend.
3 Seeing no necessity for remaining longer in
Sitka, and deeming 1t important, officially, to
visit other points In the archipelago before
leaving the waters Of Alaska, / left on the
evening Of the 2sth ut. and proceeded by out
9 side passage and through Clarence Straits to
, Wrange. where on the evening OF the 18th we
Q arrived
0 Here visited Mr.. Dennis Deputy Collector
8 In charge. Wrangel Is at the head OF naviga-
: tion for deep water vessels bringing supplies,
r etc, for the mines up the Staehine river. It
\ has grown to be mining town in all it's fea-
lures, and has population in winter OF 1000
:. or 5000 whites and Indians.
3 saw no drunkenness or disorderly conduct
D during my stay there; nor did hear Of any
breaches OF the peace, although it would be
impossible to say how long this quiet state OF
3 affairs would last, in the absence OF all power
of authority there to enforce law and order,
should occasion arise.
The Indians. with that keen insight for
trade which | have had occasion to remark as
, an article of profitable commerce here, bring
it in their canoes from the upper Stachine
and from Fort Simpson, and arriving as they
do during all hours of day and night, it is
impossible, as things arc, to exercise that
IL sort of surveillance which would prevent its
introduction into town. Leaving Wrangel
on the morning of the 1st we proceeded to
Kewta bay, the home Of the principal chief
Smoval Of Hyla tribe, "a degrees 40 north.
We found this tribe, like others, engaged
in the usual occupation of limiting and fish
Y ing;
: inst, and proceeding by the various inland
passages arrived at NonaimS on the evening
: of the 9Th where we took on board 40 tons OF
coal. Leaving Nonaims on the 7th we con-
, tinued on to this place, where we arrived at 2
f,r, tho ine4 nd trar IN
1 Wolcott pilot Keen and also the pistols and
ammunition borrowed from that vessel.
With regard to the resources OF that portion
of Alaska which we visited would mention
n the recent discovery Of gold in streams of
i the mainland between the parallel OF north 81
+ deg 10 min. and 81 deg. emptying into the
Stevens passage.
Some thirty or forty white men, and as
many Indians, have now engaged in mining
h there, making from five to ten tons per day.
+ We had passed Stevens passage to the south
: ward before learning this fact, or / should
g have stopped and communicated with some
q | of the miners. / saw at Sitka very rich spec
i linens of gold bearing quartz and silver ore,
:. which had been obtained from lodes on Bar
g nnoff island, also, very rich specimens OF
: In t the archipelago. feel assured that L the
:. country is thoroughly prospected very rich
mineral deposits would be found
The waters of this archipelago abound in
good fish, source of prospective wealth
: try to develop. II more reconnoisance5 OF the
i principal passages and inlets were made and
anchorage marked it would greatly facilitate
- the development OF this portion Of the courl-
o try, and render its navigation much easier
and far less dangerous. With one steamer
and good steam launch much work could be
. accomplished in year with proper energy
u Both coal and wood for Steaming purposes
can be procured throughout the country from
y natives, in trade. at very low rates. This
i small patronage by the government would