Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-06

q II HaIdas. None but rich men can
i !.
ii Fl afford to erect these columns.
II owing to the expense of their
IL IL elaborate carving. and the pos
E~Ei SCISSOR of one is thereby invested
HE.iT with the authority OF petty
m sAf}11 chief in his village. The ambi-
HAit ton of a Haida's life is to set up
GSN family column in front of his
HRSS& house. Usually the column is
tTN%4Sl surmounted by the totem or
heraIdlc bearing of the man. 1t
1 may be bear d beaver or
what not. each clan having its
own totem. Below NAV be repre-
IYiiStlfIi scented the totem of the wlfe's
ITAN clan. while the other designs NAV
TTi illustrate some legend connected
H ); T: :; :: :: s:
tration the top group represents
the head OF a European with
Tl1Es u I whitened face and long black
whiskers, hanked by two chill
dren III sitting posture. II repre-
ICy ~ sents a legend, which may have
sprung from an actual occur
renee. of the kidnapping Of two
M, children of the owners clan by
W. white traders long ago The
T9I figure next TO the top with the
I@I ri instrument in its claws is the
vi crane, which was formerly an ex-
49, pert with tools, but they were
stolen from him and ever since he has
been bewailing his fate. Il want my
tools" is the cry which the crane now
utters. The next figure below is Hoots. the
bear, holding between his paws the butter
fv. At the creation, when Yeti was looking
FOR fair land for man to occupy, the butterfly
futtered over his head as he flew. When they
came 20 the country now occupied by the
HaIda the butterfly pointed with his proboscis
TO the good lands and said: Where
the bear Is there are salmon, herbs
and good living" So that is
why Haida came TO Queen Charlotte's Islands
and why bears are abundant there. The
next figure Is the giant SPIDER killing man by
sucking his blood. One of the adventures OF
the mischievous demon who stoIe the cranes
tools a battle WI IN the giant spider, which
was a mortal enemy to man. The demon over
came the spider and threw him into the fire,
but instead of burning ne shriyeled up and es-
capped a MOSQUITO, carrying away with him
q small coal OF fire in his proboscis Now in
place Of killing men, he can only suck a little
blood. but in revenge he leaves a coal Of Ere in
the bite.
TOTEM RIpIcULISo CHRISTIANITY.
Another totem column, shown in the illus
tration. stands IN front Of the feast house of
the famous chief. Skowl, who was the most Bit
ter opponent whom the missionaries ~
from Russia encountered on the III
northwest coast SkoWls crest, the N
eagle, tops the column. just below MN
IL - the carved figure of a man, &SH
with right hand upiifted and index hrrl
finger pointing 10 the sky. IL signifies IhG
That IL the heavens the God of the ITTl
white man dwehs. Below this il tNSH
the representation of an angel. as WI
conceived BY the Indians from the n II
description Of the whites, and then p)Tq
comes the figure Of Russian priest III | VI
with hands piously folded across N
his breast. Tbs whole group OF the | III
missionary, the angel and the figure EGlNQ
with upiifted hand commemo- K "
rates the failure of the priests to
convert skowEs people 20 their faith III ~
and was erected IN ridicule and de- INN
rision Of the religion Of the white WS
man. Beneath the group Is a mag FL
Rihcent carving OF u spread eagle
and at the bottom of the column 10 81
hgure intended to picture one Of the k~I
early traders on the coast N
The mouse Is the judge by which / Sszt
the Haidas detect persons VINO work NIl
bad magic and cause sickness and | HSt
death. When any one il taken i'll nj N
Or dies wood mouse is caught III 4
and put in little cage, which is set III L n
hpoD q raised platform in front of I"iI
three judges chosen for the purpose Ill III III
The little mouse, frightened, retires Ill
20 corner OF its cage and eyes the iudoes
They then begin 10 name over suspected ner
Sons and presently the little mouse nods ia had
The victim has 70 pay money or blankets To get
clear. Punishment OF people accused of witch
craft used TO be so common among Alaska In
dams that several villages had TO be bombar6ed
and destroyed by men-of-war stationed up there
before the practice could bs broken up.