Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-07

From the Northwest News
The misty rain did not prevent US from fur
Their exploration of the queer old town. The
lower part is built of block houses, formerly &C.
cupied by soldiers, but now given over entirely
to Indians. The beach is strewn with canoes
just in from fishing. and women are busy clean
ing the fish to dry and keeping an eye on the
babies. Said babies, from six years down to
Infancy, arc out the Sound padding
around by themselves in canoes. On the COM
mon crowd of Indian boys were PLAYING base
ball. Though all their talk was in native tongue.
they cried in English, out, foul" tally"
lone strike, as they had learned from seeing
sailors play. Their actions were very amusing.
and their ball looked and felt like potato tied
up in rag. A lot of girls sitting on pile of
high bOnders overlooked the scene and busted
themselves in nursing rag dolls whose wooden
heads showed skill OF carving that seems won
derful from these untaught people. These In
dams are SO superior in many ways to tribes of
the plains that any progressive person would
naturally become Interested in their advance
ment. The Presbyterian mission established
school mere five years ago that, after hard
struggle. has at last COME to firm footing and
with those at Wrangel and other ports has done
much to suppress witchcraft cruelties, and to
teach Indian girls industry and virtue.
The chief Is generally appointed special police
man for IndiantOwn. The present chief is
Captain Tom" good officer, having great in
fuence with his tribe. He has acquired Sc. 600
by trading, owns good house, bought from
departing Russian, and sports a brass buttoned
blue suit. Quite as conspicuous as himself is his
fat Squaw, who gives her name as MARY Tom -
and is also great trader, having S5. 600 to her
own account, profits as "middleman' between
her own people and the whites She has the
wabbllng walk characteristic Of her people,
caused by their all being pigeon-toed from con-
tinual sQuattipg instead of sitting to rest. All
Indiana icon naHo
stockings. and one is rarely seen barefooted
their compilations are fair as light Japanese the
babies beng almost white. The humid atmos-
phere and lack of sunshine cause this effect. but
also cause another that is less agreeable jnflam-
matory rheumatism. We have seen several per-
sons drawn all out of shape with it. and several
dwarf children. This last speaks well for their
humanity. as it is the custom of Indians to put
dwarfs to DEATH
There is no agriculture at Sitka except gar
dening. to which the Indians have lately taken
on their own account. with success as to hardy
vegetables. These, with abundance 0fcOd ia,!hnt
salmon daar S1Oust, ana berries to be
ilad with little labor, enable them to run better
Doardlng-houses than the usual summer resorts.
There are no cattle or sheep in Alaska. and
except game no meat unless the steamers furnish
occasional supplies to a favored few There are
four cows who do their duty at Sitka, and three
mules that do nothing except on rare intervals
Before reaching there the tourists discussed
quite warmly whether it would be wiser to 90
on horseback or in hacks to see the town. On
arrival we found livery man who does an
extensive business at other ports, party named
Shank, who furnished US with the only horses
known in Sitka.
The most enjoyable feature Of our stay was
furnished by the custom house officers wife,
Mrs. Gouverneur Morris. who collected the best
people OF the town and officers of the naval
vessel Adams to meet the wit, wisdom. and
beauty OF the Idaho's passengers. Such an
no onto rfoiC in Nnxr Tn ondu
be called 'tea party" in New York city a
'kettledrum," IN San Francisco surprise
evening"" in Portland a ''bun-racket," and in
Sitka, Russian days, q "chipeat."