New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-06
FROM OONALASKA'S SHORE.


OF CHAMPIONSHIPS GREAT FUR COMPANIES.
TrRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNEI
| REVENUE STEAMER CoRwlN, O0NALAskA,
Nav Con the evening of May 8. just
as darkness was closing IN. the Corwh
rounded the point and came to anchor in the mar
Dor of Oonalaska. The passage from San IRAN
cisco had been accomplished in ten days and eight
| hours Stormy weather was encountered during
| the voyage although the gales were not heaVy' We
were so fortunate as to have hne day Ior APP
preaching land and the mountains were s'sn'ou
while vet sixty-ive miles distant No sooner nau
we made harbor. however, than terrific snow
storm set in. 1t has lasted ever SINCE and Is sa'u
| to be the most severe storm experienced here lniS
year.
| One serious misfortune happened on the voyage.
! G. A. Peters. a seaman, was lost overheard JusI
after midnight of the first day ont. Inc
vessel was ploughing through the water uhueI
| steam aud sail, when the cry OF Man o''i
| board p rang out above the roar OF the 'oii,
| pest One who has never heard the starving soui'u
can scarcely realize the sensation when IL causes
| happening as did this, on dark, stormy ihgn''
| when objects cannot be distinguished at Instance
| of ten feet. Life buoys were thrown over ana 'he
engines stoned Immediately, the vessel put about,
and run back TO the spot where the man leil over
hoard. A boat was lowered, and thorough search
|
low was beyond reach of human aid. He was en-
numbered with heavy clothing and rubber boots,
and was probably carried down by their weight, or
else he was drawn under the ships bottom. and IN
| stantly killed by a blow from the propeller All
hone of rescue was finally abandoned, the boat was
hoisted and the vessel proceeded on the voyage.
| gloom was cast over the whole ships company by
the sad event. and the horror of that night Will long
| be remembered.
| The arrival of the Corwin created considerable
excitement in this little port and the entire whlte
population visited the vessel to obtain news from
San Francisco as well as 10 greet their acqualht-
| ances on board. We impaired the intelligence thal
the Rodgers had been lost which news they thus
received by way of St Petersburg, New-Iork ana
San Francisco although the occurrence took place
only 900 miles from this place. Looking about
from the middle of the haTbor its entrance can
| scarcely be distinguished, as it makes an abrupt
| turn The place resembles inland lake, beng
| entirely surrounded by mountains. III makes
drearv winter scene observed during the intervals
between snow-squalls, the earth covered with snow
| as far as the eye can reach, and the tops OF the
mountains lost to sight amid the heavy, lead-coloIed
clouds. The island of Oonalaska extends III north
easterly and southwesierly direction. 1t Is about
seventy-three miles in length and thrty-three III
width at its brOadcst part The country is eN-
|
ever. 1t is wholly unfit for agriculture, but ex-
animation may prove it rich in minerals With
out doubt there is great wealth of minerals in
Alaska. The snow is serious obstacle to
prospecting however, and the riches of the
! territory will probably be unknown and
undeveoped unit chance reveals
them. Captain Hague, of the steamer Dora ow
in the harbor. has given some attention to prospect
| ing in the islands. He has discovered traces of
gold somewhere, and exhibited to me assays of sur
face earth containing from six to eight ounces of
| gold to the ton.
The village is built narrow spit-the only
available spot tine island. 1t contains about 400
| inhabitants, while the whole number on the island
| is less than 900 The Alaska Commercial Company
and its young rival. the Western Fur and Trading
Company, mako this their headquarters. Both
companies have warehouses here. and the supplies
for their trading posts in the islands are sent out
from this point. Every spring they fit out parties
of hunters and send them ont to kill SEAL otter
and sea-lion. AT the close of the summer the hunter
returns sells his collection of furs TO the company,
and then spends the remainder of the year Ill idle
ness Each company employs several vessels in
taking out the hunting parties. distributing sup
plies and in collecting and transporting the furs TO
San Francisco. The arrival or departure of oae OF
these vessels is the great event for the people here
|
Much sickness prevails among the natives. Thirty
eight have died since April TO- and many more are
living at the point of death. Typhoid fever pleursy
and pneumonia are devastating the island. al
though not a contagious disease, il is terrible cpl
deInc and unless It's progress is stayed the entire
population must be swept from the island. Our
arrival to have been proydential, for there is
no one here to care for the sick. The Alaska Com
nercial Company employs a surgeon for the vii
age but he is at present away from the island DR.,
Speeding, of the COrwin. is laboring faithfully to
alleviate the suferings of the afflicted natives. lie has
been abroad night and day visiting and prescribing
for the sick in every house with atterng results In
company with Captain Heay THE TRIBUNE's cor
respondent visited a number CT the dwellings of tho
natives. The structures small, being usually
about twenty feet long and ten feet wide Nearly
half of the house is below the surface and the
upper part is so well covered with earth and
sod that the whole affair has externally the appear
ance of a mound of natural formation. In one end
is small window, and in the other end a doorway.
The latter IS SO sHai lmat person Is Obliged 10
trance, we found ourselves III damp, dark apart
ment of unpleasant odOr, the floor covered with
straw and litter of various descriptions, few tin
cans, tnbs and kegs are scattered about and pair
of Cky-OOklng chickens stand III corner modify
cycling the intruders. Through second doorway
we passed and entered the other room. This l.
parlOr bedroom and kitchen, combined. small
stove stands III corner, and on each side of the
room IL a small bedstead built against the wall {;
these with a wooden box or two, make up the
furniture of the apartment. The occupants, man,
his wife and three children crouched on the
floor silently contemplating the filth aud squalor
of the interior They turn listlessly and glance at
us as we enter. They exchange greetings with the
| captain in the native tongue staring at MS va
canty. Anybody sick - inquired the captain,
Yes; sick-all SICK" is the reply. and the
statement is shown TO be true by the hacking
cough pale faces and signs of pain, They will not
90 to bed but usually sit with their chlns resting
| on their knees grooming miserabv. The disease
makes greater rayages among the females than
among the males. In the course of the day Wis
tied dozen of the squalid dwellings, with similar