The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-01-11
THE ALASKA INDIANS.
Life on st PauPs Island-Habits o.
the People-How Business is Carried

the People-How Business is Carried
on.
Among the passengers of the steamer
st. Paul, eleven days from Ounalaska,
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 primitive style of
hut called barabaka. These natives are
as dark as Gypsies, where their blood is
pure, and have faces of the usual Es-
quimaux.type. Their standard of moral
ity is low, and scIofulous diseases pre-
vail They drink a liquor made from
brown sugar and an infusion of herbs,
which is more overpouring in its effects
the most villainous whisky, and are,
moreover, much addicted to gambling
when they have the wherewithal to
stake. The native tongue Is corrup-
ton 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
worshipers of the Greek Church. and the
restraining influence of church and
priest is of incalculable 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 that can be raised
throughout the islands is the radish,
which can neither be fricasseed, boiled
or stewed for change, but must be eat
en- in the simple, old-fashiOned way,
however greatly tempted the cultivators
may be to present some variety in the
way of serving their one fresh vegetable.
Potatoes, onions and cabbages are car
ried up from San Francisco, and the
company transport every variety OF
canned and dried fruit and vegetable;
but fresh fruit and the choicer vegeta-
bles, such as green peas, string beans,
green corn and asparagus, are rot tasted
from one years end to another, save in
their poorly canned substitutes, a de-
privatiOn that must be particularly
severe on Californians. st. Paula
Island, one of the principal seal fisher
les, is a billy strip Of land about twelve
miles long, with beautiful harbor.
There are about 500 houses here, built
by the company for the natives in their
employ, and the company's house, a
frame building OF plain exterior, con-
tanning ten or twelve rooms and Il nice
library and piano, much appreciated by
the exiles and visitors to this lonely
land. Mails are received only about
twice a year, but the time is passed
pleasantly and happily, far away as the
inhabitants are from politics and fash
ing and congress and yellow fever.
Chickens, hogs and cattle are raised by
the company, but the most stylish equip
age on the island is an express cart
drawn by mule-none the less appre-
ciated, however. The natives here earn
good wages, sometimes making from 500
to $40 month during the four work
ing months in the year. Having their
rent free, burning coal supplied by the
company, and blubber for lights, and
subsisting chiefly on sea meat, they may
be considered very prosperous. They
spend great deal of money IN clothes,
usually preferring bright colors, but will
throw a sack of blubber just as readily
across their shoulders when clad in a gay
new suit as if in their working clothes.
The children are educated in school
provided by the company, but are any
thing but apt scholars, extremely filthy
in their habits and difficult to manage
There is a pretty little Greek church in
the settlement, and adjoining it small
graveyard with many graves-a simple
wooden cross marking these last abiding
places. Here lies buried young fellow
belonging TO the signal service detach-
ment, who died of exhaustion a short
time after he arrived at the station. The
cold during the winter is very intense,
but so subtle that the victim is scarcely
aware of its rigor before he is overpow-
cred. During the summer months about
one hundred varieties of fowers-many
very beautiful-bloom on the hillsides.
The season is 50 short that they spring
from the frozen ground, bud, blossom
and mature in an incredibly short time.
Beautiful sea MOSES are also washed
ashore.-,Sqn Francisco Chronicle