The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-24
Customs and auperstitions Of Tribes oil
AIaskaus-H Breeding and spawning
ON tho Yukon.

obtained for adjusting the matter finally
with Great Britain. This task il
now practically accomplished, and
the track Of tho great earth
circle through that strange re-
gion Of tho north IL indicated by monu-
ments Of stone and other permanent signs.
Particularly have these signs been set on
the margins Of water courses, which are the
highways Of travel-most important Of oil,
On the wonderful Yukon river.
Few people there are who know that one
Of the mightiest of the rivers Of the world
flows through this northwest property OF
the United States. Between the banks OF
the Yukon 10 poured a stream Of greater
volume than the Mississippi and Of a length
nearly a. great. For much of its length IL
IL from seven to fourteen miles In width.
In the winter It IL turned to ice, it, perilous
rapids and cascades congealed; but in the
summer 1t ID the most wonderful breeding
place In the world for water fowl OF all
sorts-sspecially ducks, geese and wan
The canvas-back ducks OF the Chesapeake
DO the mating thsre. i is an astonishing
pole to 10 comfortable. The coast
survey expedition went north from the
Yukon q few hundred miles, looked out
upon the Arctic Ocean, and set upon its
fTigid shore = mark at the point where the
141st msgidian joins the mainland to the
earth's axis, less than twenty degrees OF
latitude distant. The expedition was
obliged to spend last winter encamped on the
scene of it's operations, in order that the
latter might be continued the following
summer. Il was unusually cold, even for
fered, particularly IN the matter Of coal oil.
Owing to the wreck Of a steamboat ex-
pected supplies could not be brought, and
for months no light could be had during
the long Arctic nights. Game Was very
scarce, and even starvation Was threat
ensds
The work of defining the meridian is we'll
nigh completed, but the two parties into
which the expedition is divided Gre winter
ing now in Alaska. One Of them, at pres
emit located in camp near the point where
the meridian crosses the Yukon, WAS OBJ
liged to stay. because its task was not quite
finished. The other was all through, but
unluckily reached st. Michaels on the west
coast, whence the only transportation to
San Francisco was to be had, Just in time
lose the last boat for civilization. It is
waiting for spring at st. Michaels, there
rGrsi tor nh IL n nrsss oa sae Nation is v veil s casl
oil and food, so that it will be comparative
~ comfortable. Before next winter the en-.
tire expedition will have returned and the
United States government will be in pos
session Of data On which the department. of
state can act in negotiating with Great
Britain for an adjustment Of the boundary
between its territory and ours.
Alaska Is 1000 miles in extent one way by
LOO miles the other. The 10y wastes Of its
northern part are the home of the polar
bear, while in Its southern forests the hum
minQ-bird nests. With fish the streams
. - .~rrIn khuA n R,,o.sA4 rAl -
capturing them is by thrashing the surface
of the water with arake-shaped instrument,
a scRly victim being often jerked out on
each prong. When the salmon are making
their way mp the rivers at the spawning sea-
son. the bears come down in numbers and
feed upon them. eating only the heads.
Boats are often much ilmpeded in their
progress by the fnny myriads. The ocean
fishing-banks of Alaska arc greater in ex-
tent than those of the North Atlantic, and
afford ~inexhaustible supplies Of fish, Ger
tainlye equal II not superior in size and
quality to those caught on the eastern sea-
board. God are found there in vast guam
titles.
Owing to the ready accessibility of Sitka
to excursionists by coast line steamers, in
formation concerning the natives in that
particular vicinity has been pretty widely
spread. Desc options have many times
suSSA01s - AAA0VAO0 AA0 RORuk6klbV III u
chief depends Upon his liberality. Ii any
man desires anything he gives q potlatoh,
which IL a costly affair always because O
present must be given to each guest. AS
much as 500 worth of blankets will often
be donated by the host on an occasion Of the
sort. Since the people nave acquired an
appetite for alcohol from the teaching
OF the white man, the potlatch has taken
on more OF the character Of q bowling
snree. and sometimes leads to Trouble.
WHISKY and rum are struggled into
the country, notwithstanding the law, in
nor is not obtainable the ingenious Sitkan |
takes two big tin cans and puts into one OF
them a mash of vegetables. With the
tubular stem Of a sort Of vino he connects
the CANS, and is thus prepared with a prim-
tive still and worm in readiness for opera
ton; With a little patience. by this means
ne obtains from the mash q highly intoxi-
catinR beverage known as '''hootchsnoo,"
which, drunk raw, will set a man crazy
Off-hand. The Aleuts, of tho Alsutian is
lands. on the west coast of Alaska, / ava a
method OF their own for the manufacture OF
2 nome made stlmulant: They put n guam
9 barrel, and let the mixture ferment.
When II is sufficiently developed, SO to
speak, they start in for an orlis.
Another tribe on the mainland is that of
the lnnults, who are most remarkable for
tuolI BALL Al DOhbIu0. Iuey nave q sort OF |
craft called a "kyak," which is covered
with sealskins, oiled and sewn together,
with only one hole left, In which the occu-
pant OF the little vessel inserts himself. II
requires much practice for a white man to
learn to sit in a kyak without capsizjnp.
but the native paddles about in it in the
toughest weather. When it rains he puts
on a water proof shirt, which is fastened TO
the hole in which he sits, SO that no water
can get IN. Equipped in this style he can
turn upside dow in the water and right
himself by means of his paddle. Some
times. just for fun, the Innuits will have
thrown from high rocks, boats
and oil, into the sea. and will come up all
right to repeat the performance.
The Alaskans, AZ a rule, are not particu-
lnrly fond Of bathing; but some Of them
like occasionally to indulge in a sort OF
Iurkish bath Of q primitive character. For
tais purpose q nnmber or long STICKS are
into the ground in a circle four feat
IN diameter, being thereupon drawn IT.
getner n tied At Q point six feet from the
bottom. A small Are OF wood, with stones.
10 lighted IN the middle, and tho hear il
kept IN with blankets spread over the
framework. When only the cjndera nra
!eft and the stones arc we'll heated. the |
bather takes q seat inside and proceeds To
By, far the most interesting natives IN
Alaska. however. are the Haidcs al Dmasn
Charlotte Island aud vicinity. Il NAV 5.