The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-11-09
THE NATIVES OF ALASKA.
Their Character and Mode of Life as
Observed by Lieutenant Stoney.

The following observations by Lieutenant
Stoney during his late exploration OF the ma
tives of Alaska, their mode Of life, ETC., to-
gether with other matters in this connection,
may not prove uninteresting. BE writes;
''These people live in huts made partly un-
der ground, and subsst principally upon the
meats Of animals, fish and game, their yege-
table supply being limited to leaves and roots
| of few plants and small supply Of berries,
which latter are collected during the summer
months.
They are healthy, hardy race, comparing
favorably in size with the white men; COM
plexion, bright brunette; eyes small and
black and nearly even with the face, high
forehead, nose small and rather fat excel
lent teeth, coarse black hair They tattoo
very little, only few lines on the lower lips
and chins of the women. Wearing of the la
brett is confined exclusively to the men, and
even they do not all wear 1t. No nose orna-
ments were seen, and in few instances on
ly were earrings observed. All of the men
are beardless. Ii is said that they pull the
beard out. The women wear the hair long
and plated into two braids behind. The
men also wear the hair long and allow 1t 10
hang Down. except i'm front of their faces.
They 90 without head covering during the
summer, and are much more eleanly In their
habits than the Tchoutches OF Siberia.
The native dress is made principally from
the skin of the reindeer the undergarments
from the skin of the younger ones; trousers
overshirts Coats and socks from the SKIN OF
the older ones boots are made from the tough
er skin of the legs, ami sometimes trousers
of the same The shirt in shape resembles that
worn by the white man, but no buttons or
fastenings are used, hole being cut IN the
upper part just large enough to admit the
head, to.which is sewed hood 20 be worn
in cold weather. The overshirt coat Is
made long, reaching to the knees, and orna-
mented and trimmed with long hairs OF yarl-
GUS animals. Some of the coats are made
from inferior turs tsuch as ground squirrep
and skins of water fowl, etc. These are very
light and worn only In summer. Lighter
trousers are also made for summer wear from
the skins of seals, those of the younger and
smaller ones being preferred. Both drawers
and trousers are confined at the waist by
cord Except during rainy weather the coat
and trousers are worn with the hairy side
out, but with the underclothing the hair Is
worn next to the body. The socks and boots
are very similar in shape, the latter having
thick sole made from the skin of the walrus
or large seal The boots for summer are
made from sealskin entirely, the hair being
removed in tanning; the legs are long, never
below the knee, and sometimes extending be-
warm. During. snow storms or drifts an
overall is worn to keep the snow out of the
hair, which is very essential for the preser-
vation of the reindeer skin garments. These
OverallS are made from entrailS OF seals,
buckskin, drilling and calico, the latter being
preferred when obtainable. Straw is placed
in the bottom of the boots for warmth, and
to give soft footing for the wearer.
The dress of tho women is much like that
of the men, the only difference being slight
variation in the pattern of the overshirt
(coat Heavy mitts are made from the rein
deer and moose skins, and occasionally from
sealskins, and are worn nearly all the time,
summer and winter.
Inc native houses are constructed by sink
ing circular hole twelve feet in diameter 10
a depth of three feet into the ground. Spruce
poles five feet long are driven around the
side to the depth of one foot the bark hay-
ing been removed, and placed as close to-
gether as possible. The roof, made of the
same material, is then put on, leaving q cir
cular hole of two feet in diameter at the top
for the outlet of smoke and admission OF
light. The roof is well lashed by means OF
rope made from the bark OF the spruce. Inc
entire hut above ground is then covered with
straw and earth. The entrance 30 the hut
is subterranean, passage-Way being dug at
an angle of about f0rty-flve degrees from the
exterior of the hut to the floor, which pas
sage-way is carefully protected in the same
manner as the roof
These people never want for food. The
country abounds in animals and game, and
the river in fish. Large numbers of reindeer
are killed, generally shot, although during
the winter it quite frequently happens that
many are captured by driving them into the
ravines, where they sink into the deep SHOWS
and fall an easy prey to the hunters; The
following is list of animals whose skins ara
preserved by the natives, viz: Bear (black,
brown and gray, moose, fox white, black,
red, cross and silver gray) marten, sable,
land and water otter, mink, wolf, beaver and
lynx. The meats of all of these animals are
used for food, but great preference is given
to the reindeer, moose and bear. The latter
are usually shot, the former trapped. The
fish caught are of many varieties, includ-
ing large quantities of salmon, white fish,
mullet, pike and sculpin. The salmon are
chiefly caught in Hotham inlet or at the
mouth of the river that empties into 1t: the
other fish are caught in the river. They
are mostly caught in the summer by means
of the gill net or speared, the dexterity with
which this is done being something marvel
lous. In the winter fish are taken through
the ice by hook and line. The hook used
consists simply of fiat piece of ivory, with
sharp piece of metal screwed into one end OF
it at right angles to the face of the ivory.
White whales are caught in Hotham Inlet,
and it is regarded by the natives as great
and dangerous feat to catch one. Those who
are successful are looked upon as men of dis
tinction. Hair seals are also caught in Ho-
than Inlet, but they do not seem to 60 up
the river"