Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-11-17
LIFE IN ALASKA.

or. write. a. follows Of the natives
These people live in hu,s made partly
under ground. and subsisi principally
upan the meat Of animals, fsh and game,
their vegetable supply being limited TO
leave. and roots Of few plants and a
small supply Of berries, which latter are
collected during the summer months.
They are a healthy. hardy race. eompar'
ing favorably in sire with white men
complexion. a bngh, brunette; eyes.
small and black and nearly even with
the face high forehead. nose small and
rather Hat. excellent teeth. course black
hair. They tattoo very little, only iew
lines on the lower lips and chins Of the
women. No nose ornaments were aen,
aud in few instances only were ear
rins. observed. Al Of the men we're
beardless. The women wear the hair
long and plated into two braids behind.
The men also wear the hair long aud
allow Il 10 hang down. sxoep, in froni Of
their faces They ~ wi,hou, head COW
ering during the summer. aud are much
more eleanly in their habits ihAa the
Tchoa,chts of Siberia.
The native dress Is made principally
from the skin of the reindeer the under
garments from the skin of the younger
ones; trousers. over.hiris coaisl and
sock. from the skin of the older oacs
boot. are made from the tougher skin OF
the les.. aud sometimes Trousers from the
same. The shirt in shape resembles that
worn by the white man. but 20 buttons
or f.s,cnings arc used, hole beiag cut
in the upper part jus, large enough
10 admit the head. 70 which i sewed
hood TO be worn In cold ~ea,her
The o,enhin coat Is made long,
reaching 10 the knees. and ofna-
men,ed and trimmed with long hair, Of
various animals. some of the coats are
made from inferior fars such as ground
,quirrel and skins of water iosl, etc
These are very ligh, and worn only IA
summer. Lighter trousers arc also made
for summer wear from the skins Of seals.
those Of the younger and smaller being
preferred. Both dfaweis and trousers
are coahned Al the wAis, by cord. ES-
eep, during rainy weather the coat aad
trousers ATE wora with the hairy side out
bat with the underclo,hing the hair y
wora nexl 10 the body. The socks aud
boots AZ, very similar in shape. the latter
hAying a thick sole made from the skin
Of the wAlrus 90 large seal.
The boots for summer are made from
,eal,kin entirely. the hair being removed
in tanning the legs are long, never be.
los the knee. and somstimts extesding
nearly 10 the wai,, and they are water
proof bat no, warm. During snoss,orms
or drifts an overall Is worn 10 keep the
snow oa, u the hair. which j. very es-
.en,ial for the preservation Of the 'eia-
deer skin garments. These ovefalls are
made from the en,rails Of seals, daekskin,
drilling, and calicJ. the latter being pre-
fered when ob,ainable. Straw j. placed
in the bottom Of the boots for warmth,
and to give sofi footing to the wearer.
The dre,. Of the women is much like
that Of the men, the only difference be.
ing a Sigh, yariAiloa in the pattern OF
the overshirt coat. Heavy miiis are
made from the reindeer and moose skins,
and occasionally from sealskins. aud are
worn nearly all the time, summer and
winter.
The native houses are constructed BY
shaking a circular hole twelve fee, IN d.
ame,er 10 depth Of three fee, into The
ground. Spruce poles five fee, long are
driven around the sides to the depth Of
one zoo, the bark having been removed .
and placed a. close together a. possible.
The roof made Of the same material >,
thea pa, on. leaving circular hole OF
two Zee, in diameter AZ the top fof the
cutie, Of smoke and admission Of light.
The roof Is well lAshed BY means Of rope
made from the bark Of the spruce. The
entire hat above ground j. then covered
with straw and earth. The entrance 20 the
hat is subierraneAn, . passage way be-
ins dug at an angle Of about fofiy.hve
degrees from the exterior Of the hut 10
the floor. which passage is carefully pro
,ec,ed in the same manner As the root
These people never wan, for food. The
country aboands 10 animals and game,
aud the rivers IN fish. Large numbers
Of reindeer are killed. generally shot,
although danng the winter Il quite ire.
quen,ly happens that many are captured
by driving them into the rasines where
they sink into the deep snow and fall an
easy prey to,he hunters. The following i
a list Of animal, whose skins are pre-.
served by the natives, via Bear (blaek,
brown and gray moose, FOX, (whiie'
black, red. cross and silver gay, maften'
sable, land aud water, and otter, mink
wolf. beaver and lynx
The meats Of all these animals ar'
used for fool. b1, great preference y
given % the reindeer, morse, ani bear
The latter are usually sho', the io'me'
trapped. The fish eaugh' are Of many
varieties, including large quantities oi
salmon, white fish, mallei, pike aad
sculpin. The salmoa are chiefly caught
in IIo,ham inlet or a, the mol,h of the
river that emp,ies into !, the other h'h
are eaush, in the rv,r They are most
ly cAugh, in the summer BY means Of tn
gill ne, or speared, the dexteri,y with
which this Is done being sOmsthing mar
vellous. The pike weigh from seyea e
ten pounds. white fsh from one 10 tsC
pounds. and mule, from three TO foal
pound. In the winter fish are also TAX
en- through the ice BY hook sni line
The hook used consists simply Of sharI
piece Of metal screwed into one end Of I
piece OF ivory at right angles to the fac
OF the ivory. White whales are eaugh
ia Ho,ham inlet, and il u regarded b.
the natives - a gres, and dangerous fes
to catch one. Those who are successful
are looked upon as men Of distinction
Hair seals are also caught in Hotham In
let, but they do not seem to 90 up tn
river.
All TIM Insurance HE WANTED. =
"Yoang man." said . minist or to pas