Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-01-23
WARFARE IN ALASKA.
Bitterness Of Rivalry Between Two Tribes
of Indiana
In Spite Of Civilization the Feud Is Still
Alive Massacre Of Long Ago-HOw They
Plotted and Planned to Avenge Death

and modifying the habits, customs, and
usages Of the native people, but their
own history is rapidly becoming OBJ
liberated. In all that has been written
of the country little has been said OF
the wars that have been carried on
among the various Indian tribes during
the past forty years. Thirty years ago
the Stikeen tribe, at the mouth OF the
Stikeen river, one of the few navigable
streams OF Alaska, numbered over
1000. Now there are not more than
100-men, women, and children. At
the same time, the Sitkans, whose
principal village has been, from time
immemorial, near the present town OF
Sitka, were quite as numerous as the
Stikeens. About twenty years ago the
smallpox broke out among the
Stikeens and carries off more than
1000 people in one winter.
The population of the Sitkan Indian
village is not wholly made up OF Sit
kan Indians. A few Stikeens have set
tied there aad intermarried. One of
these is man over 40 years OF age,
named Charles Kie, who has spent
great deal OF his life among white
people, who speaks English very
huently.
The other day | sat with Kie on the
knoll overlooking the bay and the spot
where the bones OF over 200 men, wo-
men. and children OF the Stikeen tribe
had been allowed to bleach in the
rain and the sun aud the bodies to
crumble into dust without burial. l
finally got kie into a laxative mood.
He related long story OF intrigue
and murder between members OF the
two tribes leading up to a grand
tragedy.
1t was at last decided that the Sti-
keens should be invited to the Sitkan
village to engage in round OF feast
ing and dancing, as was the Indian
custom. as a sign OF the permaneucy OF
peace between the tribes. A large log
house, the largest in the village. stand
ing where the dwelling occupied by
the noted Indian Princess Thorn now is,
was selected for dance. The Sitkan
women did not take part in it; but this
aroused no suspicion. and none was in
the house but the StilSeen men, women,
and children and about fifty Sitkan
warriors. The men, covered with fur
and feathers, danced in a circle, while
the women sat on the floor behind this
circle and sang in q cadence suited to
the dance. A few moments after the
fourth dance begun Sitkan, who had
been stationed on the roof, near the
usual smoke outlet, made noise like
the bark OF wolf, and that was the
signal for the work of murder 20 be-
gin.
Aukoon and his party drew knives
from under their dresses and began
killing. Spears and firearms had been
concealed about the room and ali
egress prevented, and in few mo-
ments hell itself broke loose among
the disarmed Stikeen men, women aud
children. The de d bodies lay on the
beach for days while the Sitkans en-
gagged in the massacre INDUCED in a
beastly drunken orgy in celebration of
the achievement. Nearly 200 dead
bodies were finally carried down to a
little point on the bay about three
quarters Of a mile north of the village
and there left without burial. pass
ed over this Golgotha with Kie. and
many OF the bones lie bleaching there
still.
The news OF this treachery and MUIR
der reaching the mouth OF the Stikeen
river, the entire village was bent on
revenge. Forty-eight large war
canoes were fitted out and manned,
headed by Stake, the head chief OF the
Stikeens.
The fleet went into jamestown bay,
five miles southeast OF Sitka, and kill
ed three women picking salmon ber-
rieS and one Indian fishing. Then the
Stikeen warriors padded to the Hot
Springs, twenty miles southeast OF
Sitka, some miles below q Russian re-
doubt established near Whale bay,
and encamped. The Russian COM
mander sent small party of soldiers
TO warn the Indians away from the
springs, but they refused to GO, saying
that they came to encamp and not TO
engage in war. Believing that the
Russians had something 10 do with the
massacre of their friends at Sitka,
they surprised the small redoubt and
its garrison the next night, drove out
the whites and reduced the trading
post, the stockade, the church, and all
the surrounding buildings to ashes,
and then fled to their village on the
Stilzeen.
The distance from Sitka, the ease
with which the Stikeens could ascend
the river in their canoes out OF the
reach OF the Russian ships, the meager-
ness OF the garrison at Sitka, and the
formidable number of warriors in the
Stikeen tribe compelled the Russian
governor TO forbear attempting any
punishment for the outrage at the re-
doubt.
Years have not obliterated the spirit
OF revenge, and though .the Sixteen
tribe has been reduced to not more
than 100 fighting men, if the influence
OF the whites were Withdrawn that spirit
would manifest itself by the waylaying
and murder OF any detached fishing and
hunting parties OF Sitkans along the
coast. Old Annahootz now over 20
years Of age, has been trying for long
time to heal the feud before he dies.
He has frequently invited the Stikeens
TO come TO Sitka aud put the feather in
the hat, which means that permanent
peace has been established and that
bygones are all forgotten and buried.
His overtures so far have been wholly
neglected. From present appearances
both tribes will soon be either ex-