Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-16
In The Wild~ Of Alaska.

In he WiId- Of Alaska.
The folcapiuo is dark stream in
AlasAa, aud rOurs sGlianiy down from
the Art.!1 country. Ii is en- osel by
fir forests. and bare, cFAg5y ridges,
gray wish loa;Acry lIeACLs.
TAis WAS Lew ground, NIca We
visited Il, Vince rs ytt liz ,r...r had
estab.i, heda post, The couAtry WAS
SAID t. I've inhabited is several tribes
OF the IA 'nAians, Il people not wholly
unlike the more eastern E-quimaux.
Some Travellers think tL4. they are 0.
slmlIur Origin.
Parties from these tribes had occa-
sioualIy visited Font Yukon; but 10
one there hal been able to understand
thsir harsh, cultural dialect, or to learn
much about their habits of life.
Upon this trip | had with me an old
atache of the Russian Fur Company ut
the Nutate post, named Ratnesban, and
three Nutate Indians from the Lower
Yukon.
For six days We assembled the porcu.
pine, making, as We estimated, about
one hundred and twenty miles. The
country through whish we passed was
stern and gloomy. The forests were
black frs, and the mountains, forming
the river valley, were bleak and rug
ged.
Here and there, as we rowed along
the banks. sites Of old Indian camps
were seen; and once we passed a de-
serted camp where q fire still family
~ ~ ,N.,&t l,.e
the afternoon of the sixth day that we
saw any boats. Then We discovered
two canoes drawn up on point, where
large tributary joins the main river.
They we're followed oat of logs, and
each had in it several barbed fish
spears and bark nets.
We twice fired musket, in tho ex-
pectatior Of drawing some of the Por-
cuplne folks out to the shore. But the
sound seemed not to be heard. A mus
ket, indeed, sounds but ieehlv in these
vast solitudes, where not miles. but
leagues. separate the families of no.
madic fishers and hunters.
We encamped there that night, and,
liking the place, made it our first
post.
The tributary We christened Canoe
Greek. There is bluff of reddish
earth, crowned with trs, at the forks
betweeI the two streams.
On the top of this bluff our Indian
boatmen felled frs and made q stockade
of the tops and trunks. 1t was seven
or eight feet high, and enclosed a space
about forty feet square.
FROM 1t narrow lane, securely
fenced in, led down to the place where
the baidar was drawn up. Its TANKS
were protected by tir-tops thrown out
into the water.
1t Is always advisable to make some
kind OF a fort when opening trade with
the wilder tribes of these Indians,
They were not then exactly hostile to
the whites, but they were not to be
trusted far. 1t is a fatal mistake to
exhibit any sign of weakness to say.
ages.
This job occupied most of the fore
noon. After dinner-nonc of the In
dlaA& having as yet been attracted to
the llaeo-we sent out into the forest
two OF our Indians, with small Amer
lean nag and presents of red flannel
anu tobacco, to rouse mp the tribe.
Shortly after their departure, Ratles-
ban and set off on a similar Grand.
leaving Young Bill" the other
Nutate man, to guard the bailar AMI
stockaGo
We followed up the bed Of the
creek-it was low at this season. for a
couple Of miles, and discovered another
dug.out canoe, moored near the path
leading eff from the stream.
Taking this trail, which wound
among the fir and birchen thickets. we
followed it for half mile or more. At
length We came out into circular plat
OF ground in which stood three low
platforms, set on short posts, made of
poles and covered with she its of spruce
bark.
Rathesbsn was as much at loss as
was to guess the use of these odd plat
forms. Cncoyeripg one of them, We
found the ground beneath it covered
with dry reeds. On scraping these
aside we discovered "a pit, in which
were packed at least two dray.
leads Of large smoked tish-vcry odor-
Gus.
There were a!so large bundles of Tie
dried ilner bark of The lnckmatack. or
laIch, IL thin strips. which Rathesban
believed to lie for food. In turning
over these bnn]les | found tie head
ard shank of Il spear made of Tie
shou.deI-b!ado If moose.
Carefully replacing the reeds and that
part oi TIE platform which sc had re-
novel, &c Wctt IN Lcaily mile fur
ther, crossing several bare, ledgy hills.
On turning Oh Of tie many crooks of
the path, We came 81 denly on a conf
cal Ld! standing an ing cluup Of
frs.