The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1879-05-14


From the Alaska Appeal, of March e2nd, we clip
the following items
Ware SETTLERS AT ouxeA.-The regulations
now in force in Alaska prohibit all persons except
natives N the territory. from bunting sea-otters and
other fur-besring animals but on the island of
ounea number of white men-Euglish and Ameri-
can-have cougregated, and have been engaged in
hunting sea-otters for many years. Last year. their
unlawful pursuit sanetioned by law in the shape
of special permission from the Secretary of the
Treasury to all such hunters had married native
women, and ntended to remain in the territory.
From fifteen settlers of this Kind are now the
doing pretty good business hunting, trading, and
fishing, though not looked upon with favor by the
natives, who suffer severely by the competition.
Most of these live Delarof bay, 0uuea Is
land, village with Russian church, two stores,
and about 200 inhabitants. About twelve miles dis
tant is Coal Harbor. Husnboldt Bay. where the
Alaska Coal Company is still prospecting for bet
quality of coal Several Of these white men are
the owners Of small sloops of from five to ten tons
burhen used for trading and hunting, and duly pro-
vided with papers by the Depsty Collector. For a
community of rough hunters removed from all legal
restraint, they Lave conducted themse we'll, and
the only serious difficulty among them. which result
ed 10 boodless shooting scrspe, caused by one
John Gardiner. Complaint made by his oppo-
nent, Mr.. king-now trader for the Western Fur and
Trading Company in 0uualaska-and sfidayits
filed with the captain of the cutter but that
such characters are removed people in that section
be blamed for taking the law into their own
hands. and returning violence for violence.
WIrcHcRAFr AT MISUNDERSTANDING, native of
Wraugie, and his wife were both sick last winter,
and suspected some of having bewitched them
Young Shakes, successor of the Head Chief, and
nephew TO Shustaks, gathered up his friends and
caught an old man and accused him of being bad
medicine. They carried him to Shustaks' house,
stripped him naked, tied him most cruelty, hand, foot
AID head, and put him in dark hole under the
fvor. This happened at night. The next murning
the clerk Of the custom house and Rev. Mr.. Young
went to the house where all of Shustaks' and
Shakes friends were assembled. They were very
determined to resist any encroachments their
eient customs But at last they promised that they
would release the mau and tie up nobody else with
out first consulting the authorities. Mrs. Shustaks
has since died, and contrary TO the wish of all his
friends, shustaks had her body burned.
MISSIONARY FOR KoDIAK.-A Presbyterian Mis-
sionary intends locate Kodiak this spring. The
gentleman expects to be Joined by his wife later in the
aud will then establish school at that place
ABoUT SITKA.-A gentleman writing to Rev. ]. G
Brady from Niagara Falls, with view Of removing
TO Sitks, puts the following questions:
L. What is the topography. soil, and climate in the
vicinity of Sitka Is it volcanic?
We do not know Mr.. BIS answers, but shall an
swers the questions according to own knowledge
an in form alton. With regard to the first question
We can only say that StSa Is very mountainous, and
densely wooded with fr and spruce. The so Is fer
tile, and will produce any hardy vegetables-good
potatoes ec.-but the is limited being confined
to one two narrow river bottoms. The climate il
average milder than that of New York, but
very damp. a
?. Are the aurferous discoveries quartz or placer
or both-on island or mainland?
They chiefly quartz on both islands and main
land.
3. Are seasons of drought and rainfall semiannual
in California?
Moisture falls all the year round in the shape oi
rain in summer and wet snow in winter the an
nuRl rainfall ranges from six;y-iye to ninety-f i've
inches, and average of twenty years observations
showed from fifteen to eighteen rainy days per month
4. Approximate English speaking population O.
Sitka and vicinity; number of U. S. soldiers?
The village of Sitks, the canueries and mines ad
joining may contain 100 English speaking people
$40 Russians and Creoles, and from 900 to .50t
Indians
What is the means of transportation from New
York most feasible and economical?
Emigrant train to San Francisco, steamer Grea
Republic to Portsu d, Oregon, and the steamer Cali
fornia Sailing the 2Sth of every month from there
Sitka.
In addition. we would tell the iDquiring gentleman
that the Sitka country, though not grain producing
region offers to persons engaged in any kind of busi
in the settlements opportunity for cutivatn
vegetables in sufficient quantities, and for keepin.
cattle enough for supply of milk and butter. Th
mineral is there. and the mines will open the cOun
try to frugal and hardy settlers