The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-07

spoonful of warning medicine, too, in this
damp, cold climate. poor fellow! The re-
straint Of the government must be effectual
to certain extent, for we saw neither In
dian nor white man drink at any of the
ports.
At Juneau, the squaws had often added
to their store of baskets, bracelets, spoons
and other trinkets. pals and bowls heaped
high with the bright golden and scarlet
salmon saline berries .H or . large variety Of blue
ture makes the whole world kinv'
Even in the presence of their white
customers these guileless children of the
forest would shake up their fruit and with
careful fingers place the fairest and round
est where they would make q brave showing
on top. The salmon berry is in shape and
size like dewberry. but the most brilliant
red and yellow in color. It is coarse and
favorless, Just as their vendors looked
and catching sight Of the latter, when at
the swallowing point, We had to reverse the
tbe eaent Of
BILE in the presence of such disgusting
specimens of humanity.
Fortified with a hearty dinner, however,
we set out some hours later to become, if
possible, the unlimited guest, not at but of
some native table. Entering a
most pretentious Of the group
of Aux cabins, We found the object Of our
quest Asking permission to enter, we we're
answered by one of two white labOrers who
were sitting near and watching the progress
of the repast with evidently no more legiti-
own. Our entrance seemed hardly noticed
until we offered the small boy some silver
coin, which had the power here, as it had
everywhere with this people, of eliciting q
mechanical smile. A fire burned brightly
in the square hearth under the opening in
- A.. -
was boiling the stalks of some coarse green
grass. This was the tea. There we're ten
persons, ranging from the small boy to
the old, barefoot, unkempt, greasy
bag of grandmother. all squatting
| in various attitudes about the room,
the bed between the voracious bites which
he took from his great chunk of bread. The
old woman had in front of her a tin pail of
oil in which she s0pped some potato and
raised it, regardless of dripping grease, to
her mouth. Ayounger man and woman
which contained some fsh-the woman re-
freshing herself occasionally by raising to
her lips two gallon paper pail of American
make, but sadly begrimed with dirt. A
younger and quite pretty girl, as Alaskan
beauty goes. was soaking some sea biscuit
| in an old mug. Another diner had before
her large kettle covered with something
| intensely black which we soon discovered
was the leaves Of some plant used as q
v Vegetable which filed the Kettle to 1 the
brim. It is called rice, but is in form q
mass of small globules compacted into one
| rounded head. Each member at the family
board-door, we mean-seemed to have
consulted his individual tastes in preparing
his share of the food, and all ceremony ol
common interest appeared as conspicuousl,
absent - did knives and forks.
| Around the room, filing the floor space
nearly TO the hearth. and lying on shelves
and boxes and trunks. was the most chaoti,
confusion of all things ever known to th,
civilized and savage worlds, that il ia pOs
l sible for vivid imagination to conceive
I Cigar boxes, dried nsh, CASTOR shirts
heaps of bedding, cans of zeal oil
pots of paint, Ashing tackle. bowl
1 OF berries, unwaahed and broke,
dishes, blackened and battered oookint
vessels and utensils, seaveed. drvin0 herhs
empty cans OF baking powder OF fruit
hats, boots, dogs. cats. How do thew eve
hnd anything they want? We asksd II
amazement. If it isn't in siQht thev ~
something else" was the reply.
With one exception We did mot note tha
the squavs were compelled to do the hard
est labor, - with our Indians, That the,
have NO poetical and impractical idsas n
this subject, however, Is svidencad ~ Ii,
character OF their sones. Va - so NJ
! pablishsd BY Mr.. 6hsldon Jsei,oo. ~