The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-01-30
THE ALASKA INDIANS.
life on ST. PauI's InIand-Habiis OF the
People.
san Francisco Chronicle.

san Francisco Chronicle.
Among the passengers of the steamer
st. Paul, eleven days from Ounalsska,
were number of gentlemen who had
spent some years in the solitary islands
adjacent to Alaska, where the great seal
fisheries are carried on By the Alaska
commercial company, and from whom
some interesting facts were learned.
The islands are largely populated by
natives who live in a primitive style of
hut called bsrabaka. These natives are
as dark as Gypsies, where their blood is
pure, and have faces of the usual Esqui-
maux type. Their standard of morality
is low, and scrofulous diseases prevail
They drink q liquor made from brown
sugar and an infusion of herbs, which is
more Overpouring in its effects than the
most villsinOus whisky, and are, more
over, much addicted to gambling when
they have the WhereWithal to stake.
TIE native tongue is q corruption of
Russian, but the majority have learned
to speak very fair English from their
intercourse with the employees of the
seal company. They are devOut woT>
shippers OF the Greek church, and the
restraining influence of church and priest
Is of incalculabie value.
The temperature of the islands Is quite
cold, but without the sudden variations
which occur in the New England states
The summer season Is extremely short,
and the only vegetable thSt can be raised
throughout the islands is the radish
which can neither be fricasseed, boiled
or stewed for change, but must be eaten
in the simple, old-iashioned way, how
ever greatly tempted the cultiVators NAV
be to present some variety in the way of
serving their one fresh vegetable. Pota-
toes, onions and cabbages are carried up
from San Francisco, and the company
transport every variety of canned and
dried fruit and vegetable but fresh fruit
and the chOicer vegetables, such as green
peas, string beans, green corn snd aspar-
agus, are not tasted from one years end
to another, save in their poorly canned
substitutes, a deprivation that must be
particularly severe on Cslifornians. s.
PauPs island, one OF the principal seal
fisheries, Is billy strip of land about
twelve miles long. with beautiful har-
Dor. There are about 600 houses here,
built by the company for the natives in
their employ, and the company's house,
frame building of plain exterior, con-
tanning ten or twelve rooms, and a nice
library and piano, much appreciated by
the exiles and visitors to this lonely
land.
Mails are receiv only about twice a
year, but the time is passed pleasantly
and happily, far away as the inhabitants
are from politics and fashion and congress
and yellow fever. Chickens, hogs and
cattle are raised by the company, but the
most stylish equipage on the island is an
Z - 4, ~. L. Il
less appreciated, however. The natives
here earn good wages, sometimes making
from 800 to $40 month during the
four working months in the year. HAY
ing their rent Tree, burning coal supplied
by the company, and bIubber for lights,
and subsisting chiefly on sea meat. they
may be considered very prosperous.
They spend a great deal OF money in
clothes, usually Preferring bright cOlOrs,
but will throw q sack of blubber lust as
readily across their shoulders when clad
in a new suit as if in their working
clothes, The children are educated in a
school provided 10y the company, but are
anything but apt scholars, extremely
filthy in their habits and difficult to
manage. There Is pretty little Greek
church in the settlement, and adjoining
| it a small graveyard with many graves
"a simple wooden cross marking these
| last abiding places. Here lies buried a
young fellow belonging to the ligual SER
vice detachment, who died of exhaustion
a short time after he arrived at the sta
ton. The cold during the winter Is
very intense, but 80 subtle that the vic
tim is aIcely aware of its rigor bsf re
he is overpowered. During the summer
months about one hundred varieties of
flowers many very beautiful bloom on
the hillside. The season Is so short that
they spring ~ IN the frozen ground, bud,
blossom and mature in an incredibly
short time. Beau iful sea moses are
also washei ashore.