The New York herald., 1879-07-14
ALASKA.

SETTLERS on THE LOOKOUT FOR WEALTH
RATHER THAN TO cIvILIZE THE NATIvEs-THE
HARBoR OF sITKA THE GRANDEsr IN THE
WORLD FOR SCENERY
SITKA, June %, 1879.
The jamestown has been here ten days, and I
think am in possession of sufficient informsion to
enable me to give to your readers the exact status
Of affairs in this place especially regards the real
causes tor alarm and its future prospects. have
met most of the prominent white people and In
dans. have discussed the situation with them, and
listened to their stories of the past and present
and will endeavor to give you the aist
OF it ALL well my impressions
In the first place. to do full justice to
the subject We have to consider the Indian and the
situation of affairs from his standpoint To do this
we must examine into the characteristics Of his
nature his life and his superstitions. will here
late the causes and results OF powwow which was
held at the Collectors Office yesterday. which ex-
emplihes the simplicity Of their nature and super
stitious IDEAS and in consequence the mild strength
of mind necessary to influence and direct them for
good or bad. The captain of the jamestown
notified that an Indian woman had fed to the white
settlement for protection from her people who
threatened her with death for witchcraft, believing
as they did that she caused the death OF Indian
woman by the exercise of her fendish powers There
prefer the accused witch ian old. feeble. trembling
woman, bearing close resemblance to ideas
CLEANED from old prints of the witches of former
timesl, the whose wife had died and two
women. The three last mentioned were the ones
who had threatened the lite of this poor unfortu-
nate. 1t was soon seen that the most enlightened
among them believed implicitly in witchcraft. They
promised, however not to molest her. placed her in
permanent coventry and asked the captain to ban
ish her to another country. where she could not
harm them The information to the effect that
hanging would be the punishment for those who
should murder her appeared to suffice. and she was
evidently saved. at any rate her life
during stay The test for witchery. and to
which she would have been subjected. is most un-
fortunate for the victim. He. she, is
securely tied to post and kept in
that position for eight days without
food or water If this does not cause death the de-
is that the suspected person possessed with
witchery, and is either killed banished TO some
other island is custom which has for its object.
far as can really nothing but to shield the
reputation of the big Medicine Man. or Indian
doctor. who is also the high priest. He is held In
lous powers and infalble in all things earthly.
II. in his endeavors to the sick by wild and dis
cordant incantations, he tails he. in order to
his reputation attributes the of his failure
witchery, and points out one the unfortunate
possessed. We cannot be astonished at this belief
when consider what q comparatively short time
ago it was universally entertained even in the New
England States.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INDIANS.
In the more intelligent Indians see traits Of man
liness and virtue. which commend them to the kind
consideration OF all, and places beyond do bt in
my mind the firm belief that they lack but enlig
ment from the exertions Of pure. honest and kind
whites to. in say the next generation. become
worthy members or peaceful community. There
is much in them to eradicate. and in doing this
much patience and consideration are requisite.
which virtue the white either do not
possess or else they consider the harvest
unworthy the labor of planting the seeds.
their habits of stealing drinking and uncleanliness.
well as their superstitons which spring from ig-
failines and are much more undessrving of pardon
for them than the poor. ignorant Indian. who but
acts on the stage of life the plays his parents have
done before him. There is some good in every peo.
pie and it is certainly for the interests of the
lightened. il not Christian duty. to cultivate and
bring out all that is good which cannot be done by
harshness. cruelty or neglect any more than by SO
treating child you can produce in him true msnli-
An ignorant. superstitious man is but child
mentally, but as easily moulded by examples Of
probity and kind forbearance.
WHITE SETTLERS. I4
Who are the white people here and for what pur.
pose have they come! The Collector and his deputy
are called here by duty; few Russians. who re-
States having been promised proctection in all the
rights of citizen by contract of purchase; some
few discharged soldiers, about fifteen miners and
perhaps about twenty others of mixed and confused
natioualities. These people tar can learn,
honest in their dealings. sober and not lack
ing in ordinary energy As to their object
in coming here it must be apparent to all.
1t is new. field for labor. promising in
mineral wealth, rich in woods. its waters
abounding with food, but, notw outstanding all this
one in coming here, owing to its high latitude with
consequent short summers and great suficiency of
rain throughout the entire year. must certainly
imagine he before Kim wealth, or at least
handsome competence. II is natural that they have
no desire to Indian. much less assist
him, ath ugh they are really IN his country. say
this without evident intent TO do any one here iujus
tice for they are but morals following the universal
instinct for dollars, and many who might now con-
denim lack OF interest on their part in the In
dians would do likewise II similarly placed.
CONFLICTING INTERESTS.
Under these conditions of conflicting interests, or
perhaps better expressed, opposite poles OF mental
thought and worldly state. what more can be ex-
pected of poor, ignorant people than the possess
sion of enyious disposition which might easily
be encouraged and excited to physical action under
the Grazing influence of their native drunk 1t must
be admitted that such might be the case and IL Is
very safe to premise that 1T would under favorable
circumstances for them that is, IL by extermi mating
the whites, they could advance their interests. they
would tionably do it. The lmpro liability OF
such step being to their advantage was one OF the
strongest arguments for the security OF the people
offered to me by of the oldest and most powerful
Indians.
MINING PROSPECTS.
The mines, from what can learn. promise we'll.
One OF them is now being worked and another is
to be opened. A promising future for Stka is.
course. insured II the mines prove rich and
readily in the call for assistance and protection
desire iet 10y the residents to be bevond ques-
ton well shielded to thus eliminate all causes for
alarm in order to stimulate action the part Of San
Francisco capitalists. Notwithstanding this may in
measure be the case. what have said before most
surely demonstrates the possibility OF trouble.
especially IN a community which has no court no
jail and no punishment tor misdemeanors. and
protection should be granted Captain Beardslee
doubtcdy made good stroke or diplomacy
after our arrival in selecting the heads of the three
powerful Indian families and ensting them for
duty policemen in the native settlement in order
to stop their Illicit stills and impress upon them
their duties to the government and to individuals.
The results have been satisfactory, most of the
stills have no longer existence and have
but one Indian thus FAR under the influence Of the
native drink, "Gootchecnoo."
A MAGNIFICENT HARBoR.
1 cannot close this letter without giving your
readers some idea OF Sitka under summer sun. n
truly the grandest harbor ia the world for scenery.
1t il combination of the beautiful small islands OF
Japan and the Alps. Imagine semicircle OF nvs
miles in diamater of grand mountain hills and
peaks, and in this, closely nestled together, thirty
or forty low, wooded ISLANDS, between which
three passages to the anchorage. which is commo
dious securely andlocked and of very good holding
ground tor weather usually experienced here. Thel
occasionally visited by hurricanes in the winter
months, when vessels drag even with four anchor