San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-04-26

tiers and Bites His Nose of on Account
of a Dusky Maiden - Presentation of
Blankets to Console Wounded Honor.
1t will not be many years until the print
tive habits and customs of the natives of the
north Pacific coast will be q thing OF the
past. Except in the far northwest, in the
vicinity of the Behring sea and the Aleutlah
islands, the native dress has practically dis
appeared and the white mans garb substl-
tuted The native dance is still observed In
some of the villages in southeastern Alaska,
but it even is becoming n rarity. In TACT,
the Indians of this section of the territory are
becoming far less sOciable in their native
way, than they were a few years ago Now
and then one is permitted to see q real live
Indian dance and festival. On GasteauneauX
channel, part of the inside passage, on the
shores of which Juneau is situated, there is
Tari village about two miles east of the
town, and an AUX village about two miles
west of it. These villages contain about 3OO
inhabitants, whose houses are close TO the
water, as they are IN every other Indian vii
lage in Alaska. The pathway from Juneau
is Immediately along the beach and hugging
closely the high cliffs.
THE FIGHT AND THE FROLIC.
1t was well known for many miles around
that Stka Dick and AUX Jimmy had had
bitter feud on account of a dusky maiden,
and that there had been a good deG! of cut
ting and slashing about it. There is no scalp
taking among these people, but where rival
ries occur respecting matrimonial or love
affairs revenge is taken by either biting off
the nose or cutting and slashirg the face so
as to disfgure and thus destroy whatever ma
tive charms exist Sitka Dick had come out
of this encounter much the worse for wear,
and his face had been done up in heroic style
by his rival As the feuG was not one Of long
standing friends on both sides concluded that
there should be q reconciliation. That meant
a good time and a rollicbing dance, which
was more important than the reconciliation
itself. Half a dozen Of our white settlers
were invited TO witness the ceremony and the
attendant dance.
We were not provided with either car
riages or canoes but mad to walk down to
the beach close under the high cliffs and then
take our chances of the incoming tide pre-
venting an early return. The festivities
were to begin at JimmyS house in AUX and
end at Dicks So Kow-k Iake, the head man
among the Auks, conducted us first to jim
my's mansion, which consisted OF Z boarded
structure about forty feet square, with
mere hole in the wall for door. 1t was
lightad by only one very small windO".
There we found fifteen squaws, or klootch.
men. as they are called on this coast Assem-
blcd for the dance A siwash, or male In
Liam. sat in a corner on an empty cracker
box ready to beat the drum. \ fire had
been built upon the earth in the c,ator OF
81, nyErba
had been 50 left for that purpose.
The women wore gaudy blankets and were
profusely decorated with feathers and silver
ornaments such as rings and bracelets u
the signal from the drummer they ranged
themselves in a large circle about the fire and
began a swaying motion, keeping time 10 the
taps Of the drum. They swung their heads
and bodies from side to side in unison, but
made no motion or movement whatever with
their feet While thus gracefully keeping
time they chanted q kind of refrain that had
q sd ard tender touch in it, and though its
tono was that of tho savage and barbarian
there was something pathetic in its melody.
After the women had danced and Chantcd il
this way for some time, about twenty m"l
rushed in through the hole in the wall, and
with a kind of war whOop began leGPing and
prancing around the room on the outside Of
circle formed by the women. After awhile
they hoped backward and then forward
many times, leaping into the air and keeping
time to the drums.
The men were dressed in native garb, and
their long black hair was decorated with a
prOfusiOn Of eagle feathers, which hung il
YlumoS down Over the face. Some wore tip
pets Of feathers and birds down about tic
neck, and all were rohei in singUlarly deco
rated c.ilc9tl blankets, made of the long
Eac"e Of the wild goat. The only sound they
uttered Y1hiio Ieaping and dancing va, q
sort Of Gruut.
The indians in dancing around the room
often made fun for themselves by coming
uear the white spectators shaking their
feathers and down over them and thCnlaugh-
i&s; until the roof fairly cracked. When It
,,;,s tIrIc to go from AUX Jimmy's house over
to ;5i.La Dicks to finish up the festivity
tail fellow, dccSed out with an enormous
white plume, led the way and carried
white handkerchief in his hand. The rest
followed in single file to the tap Of the drum,
each siwash chanting rs he went along.
THEY HUG AND MAKE Up.
Sitka Dick was sitting Oh greasy cracker
box when the crowd entered. He received
his guests with a sort Of a rough, gruff grunt
and nod, but did not rise, and there was no
Handwriting. Tie rear siwash of the file
bore a large bundle Of G2udy blankets, which
| he threw down on the floor near the entrance.
'StEa Dicks head was bandagad 50 that It
was impossible to sec even the outlines OF his
! face Before the dance was resumed, how
ever, the bandages were removed in order
f~-,,,,l CC5IiG ca. c7y+gDt If he