The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-21

other matters in that region out Of good
many contradictory statements II he could
not learn the truth by personal observe
ton.
The Indians be met were generally Z Gu
ri0us lot 70 deal with. While crossing the
mountains 70 the Lewes rver he found the
Tagish tribe, who were in such mortal ter.
ror OF the coast natives that be could
hardly induce them to assist In packing
his goods to the region in which they might
come In contact with their enemies. They
are. in fact, little more than slaves Of the
coast tribes. and are in constant dread OF
offending them. The natives . little in-
land would do nothing for white men nm
less they were sure of q large reward.
They generally refused to answer questions
about the country. and he could get little
information from them.
Far In the interior 0gilvie was constantly
doing something that excited the sus-
picions OF the natives. and he sometimes
had trouble in establishing relations. On
the Mackenzie river, when he picked up .
telescope to look for . signal across the
river, the Indians Immediately turned and
fed. Once, when they noticed . shotgun
lying at his feet. they retreated to dis
lance, and II was some time before they
consented to be friendly. When be was
getting IN observation once for azimuth
the early evening. the Indians
were very much awed Is he pointed out
the star. The sun had not yet set, and go
ing away the Indians said they did not
care to have anything TO do with so mys-
FERROUS . man. The most unintelligent
natives he met were on the Lewes- ukon,
between the Tes-lin-too and Stewart rivers.
None of the Indians in his party could un-
derstand anything his people said. They
could not speak any language but their
own. He tried by signs 10 get information
about the river they were fishing on. but
failed. He also tried to learn il there
were other Indians in the neighborhood
but they did not understand him. Their
only anxiety was to have the strangers de-
part as soon as possible. and as nothing
was TO be- made out OF them, their wish
was soon gratifled.
Near the Porcupine river Ogilvie met .
tribe who were in such fear of people who
are very likely mythical that they could
not be induced to accompany the explorer.
They had never seen anything to justify
their fears, and knew nothing about their
alleged enemies except the terrible things
that some old men among them had heard
emies were cannibals, who slept on
the snow during the Arctic winter and
ate their food raw. Not the slightest
knowledge has been gained of any people,
even remotely answering the description
given by these timid Indians. and the
probability is that they are simply the
victims OF false rumors originating many
years ago. For generation or two they
have been soaring themselves with bnga-
boo story. OF course, Ogilvie did not lind
any considerable population anywhere.
though small tribes or families were scat
tered here and there Throughout the entire
scene of his wanderings.
In the mining region on the Yukon river,
Ogilvie found only one firm doing business
outside OF gold mining. They are the
Messrs. Harper Il McQuestion, and it is
evident that there is some opportunity for
profitable commerce in that bleak and
almost uninhabited region. from the fact
that their business 10 said to amount in
sales alone to 10000 year. They buy all
sorts of furs from the Indians, who come
long distances to their store. They supply
the natives with many barter goods and
import the large variety of articles used
by the miners on the Yukon. Very vaiu-
able furs are found all through this region,
and north of the Article circle Ogiivie found
beaver, fox, lynx. ptarmigan and other
beasts Of prey and birds. Numberless Carl
bou WANDER over the messy slopes, living
on the moss which they find under the
snow. Indians do not appear to have
hunted in the region northeast of the
Yukon for many years, and the country is
therefore comparatively rich in game.