The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-02-10
Smelling an AIaska Village.

and gave the following account of the
late Smelling of the Indian village by the
revenue cutter Corwin:
ION October 26 Captain Vanderbilt,
OF the Northwest Trading Company,
came to Sitka in the company's tug
Favorite, and informed Commander
Merriman that the Indians at the fish
ing station had taken possession of the
settlement and had taken two white
men prisoners. Tbs portion of the
story has been correctly pub ished. L
attended the conference between Com
mander Merriman and the Captain, and
also took care of the lat,ers wife and
children Vanderbilt asked for assist
ance, and as the Adams was too arge a
ship to pass into the lagoon, | suggest
ed that the Corwin take her place, and
that | would cooperate. Lieutenant
Healy, of the Corwin, conceded with
me as 10 the proprlety of using the yes
sci for that purpose, and he also offered !,
his services. The arrangeme is were
perfected about sundoTn. Early on the
following morning the Favorite ,tarted
back, with about eighty sal ors and ma
rines on board and a GATH gun,
under the immediate comm nd of
Lieutenant Bart EFT, and steamed
for Peril Straits. Three hours la
ter the Corwin followed. with
Commander Merrman and an addition
al force. / went along as an invited
guest. We oyerhau ed the Favorite
and the large launch of the Adams.
which had been surveying in Peril
Straits. expecting to reach Kalisnoo%
that day. 1t blew so heavily that the
SIN Her vessel could not cross Chatham
Straits, and the fleet came 70 Choir in
Linden erger harbor. Early the next
morning the Favorite and the launch
were ordered to take the lead and steam
up the lagoon TO the, fishing station.
where the property of the Northwest
Trading Company had been captured
and the men imprisoned, the Corwin
proceeding slowly in the river. As we
steamed up we observed a number OF
white Tags iuttering from staffs on the
Indian houses. which is always custom
airy alter they have comm tied some
outrage and gun boat hea, es in sight.
We gathered up or drove back ell the
canoes in the lagoon, getting together
about fifty. All the vessels steamed up
and came up abreast of the station,
when the two white prisoners were re-
leased, and not before. having been in
custody all the time since the accident
occurred.
"The prisoners reported Immediately
on board the Corwin. In about Il hour
a lar e party of the Ind rs. supposed
to be ringleaders, were sent on board
the Cor win by our marines and exam
med by Co nmlnder Merriman. Several
of the N we're identified as being promi-
nent in the capture by the prisoners,
and these were sent down beow and
put in irons. The two principal chiefs
came on board also dressed in uni
forms--and protested that they had no
hand VIVA ever in the Proceeding
statement which we found to be true.
Commander Merriman then informed
the Indians that this method of de.
handing compensate II for an accident
from white men could no longer be toll
Grated in A aska; tn t they had ia en-
the law in their own hands, ca 1tured a
valuable property, impris ned two white
men and Threatened them with dea-h;
that thu Government would not toll
crate a-y su h action; that he had
told them that before he went
up to Sitka, and further informed
them that all grievances caused by white
trade would be adjusted by himself; that
he had forbidden them ever again to at
that instead of paying the fine of two
hundred blankets, under penalty of TAX
ing the lives of white men, he would
impose upon them fine of four hun
dred blankets, and would give them UNI
til noon the following day to deliver
them. This was all explained to them
by hali-breed Interpreter in the pres.
ence of the two chiefs. The Indians
thought this game of bluff, as has
been the case heretofore. They made
no attempt to bring the blankets until
the following morning, when few
worthless ones were delivered. A blank
ct is valued at four dollars, that being
the price set years since. Finding that
they did not intend t. pay, Merriman
ordered them to remove all the women
and children and to vacate the village,
as he intended to shell and burn it, as
he had threatened to do if they did not
comply.
during the previous night the In.
dams had removed all their blankets
and canoes to places of safety. About
two o. clock the vessels steamed through
Chatham Straits, opposite the village.
shelled and destroyed it, sa the two
houses of the principal chiefs, who re-
main ON board the Corwin. In my
opinion this was the only course that
Commander Merriman could pursue
under the circumstances. Matters had
arrived ut such crisis in that country
that it was absolutely necessary to in
tlct condign punishment All this was
done without the loss of single life.
The Indians are well treated in Alaska
because they are needed. They can earn