, 1888-08-08
HUNTING IN ALASKA.
Killing q Bcar-IndIan Superstition-A
Deer Hunt-A Night Camp.

Deer Hunt-A Night Camp.
After tracking two days my companion
and myself secured two natives as guides,
and, leaving the river, set off for the
mountains. At the end of the first days
tramp we sighted a black bear feeding
upon berries about a mile distant. We
were both SO exhausted from our tiresome
walk across the tundra that we concluded
to send one of the guides after the bear.
The Indian first seated himself and ex-
amined his rifle, selecting three cartridges
and placing them in the gun. He then
pulled a few hairs from his clothing, which
he threw in the air to ascertain the direc-
ton of the wind, and then started SO as
to come up to leeward of the bear. We
kept careful watch through a glass, and
saw him on hands and knees work slowly
toward the animal. When within $50
yards he fired two shots. The bear
jumped and fell almost in his tracks.
There are probably no more super
stitious people in the world than the
northern Alaska Indians. Every action
of their daily life is governed by some
belief handed down from father to son,
or originated by the shaman, the Indian
doctor, who holds great sway over them.
The ceremonies attending the killing of
the bear will illustrate. Bruin was first
placed upon his back with the head
toward the mountains. The head was
then skinned, severed from the body and
taken by one of the natives, who, plac-
ing himself astride of the dead animal,
raised and lowered the head three times,
touching the bear Just over the heart
each time and muttering some incanta
ton. The third time he threw it from
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other natives Joined. This was done to
drive the bears spirit to the mountains
SO that it would cause them no future
trouble. A part of the dead animal had
to be left on the spot where he was
killed, or the hunters would get 10 deer
that season. A camp was made at the
place, and after the head had been
roasted and picked clean it was placed in
the top of a high tree, but for what pur-
pose they would not tell. The skin was
stretched fiat upon the tundra-fur side
down. The portion of the bear not con-
sumed was placed in u tree and a rude
scarecrow made to keep away birds.
The following winter the skin and meat
were sledged for and found in good con-
dition.
A deer hunt which we witnessed was
SO different from our previous concep-
tons that l think it worthy a description.
Upon this occasion, while sleighing with
a party of Indians, a herd of deer was
sighted. The natives took their rifles
and started, some going in one direction
and some in another, but all keeping to
leeward of the deer. Those who went
directly toward the herd waited until the
others had got partly around before start
ing. The first shot was the signal,
whereupon all hands rushed toward the
frightened animals, who separated and
plunged blindiy in every direction. The
Indians shouted, making all the noise
possible. the fleeing animals in their fear
installing Indians for deer and rushing
on until a shot showed them their error,
when they would turf and flee as blindly
as before. Even after the first fright
they circled around the danger, trying to
get together, and in this way many more
were killed. AS much meat as could be
carried was loaded upon the sled, while
the remainder was cached in the snow,
be sledged for at some future time.
After a hard days march, a camp was
established, it being then too dark to
travel. The dogs are first embarrassed,
and chained separatelyto bushes to pre-
vent fighting. After an hours rest they
are fed upon dried fish. this being the
only meal they receive in twenty-four
hours. They are given all they can eat,
unless the supply is short, and in such
cases their endurance is wonderful, q
small piece of fish once a day sufficing g.
dog and enabling him to work for a couple
of weeks. A great many interesting
facts could be given illustrating the sa-
gacity n endurance Of these animals.
As q rule they have nc affection. They
recognize the person who feeds them as
their master, but they obey only through
fear. They are more than half wolf, as
all young wolves caught are raised and
used as dogs. In every team there is
generally one dog who constitutes him
self master. He is naturally one of the
most powerful of the number, and the
others seem to recognize his supremacy.
This dog, upon seeing any n Of the
others habitually shirking while the rest
are pulling, will attempt to reach and
punish him, and if it is impossible to do
80 while in harness, will deliberately &c
to him when the days sledging is fin
ished and administer the deserved chas-
tisement.
In establishing a night camp when in
a wooded country, the most, sheltered
spot is selected and a pit is dug in the
snow about fifteen feet in diameter and
a foot deep. The bottom is then stamped
down to make a hard floor. Around
this pit is built a wall about four feet
high, by laying young spruce trees on
top of n another and cutting off their
inside branches. This wall has two
openings or breaks Numerically opposed,
dividing the pits into halves with a
through passageway separating them.
Along this way, which must always face
the wind, dried wood is piled and fired.
On either side pine boughs are laid on
the snow, and on top of them the sleep
ing bags. Such night camps are easily
made, and the coolest nights can be
comfortably passed in them. The only
drawback is the difficulty in getting the
wood.
In conclusion, the Indians of Alaska
have been reported as savage and treach-
erous. In my experience 1 found the
natives of interior northern Alaska the
most kind and hospitable people in the
world.-W. L. Howard in Popular Sci