The morning call., 1891-08-10
LIFE in ALASKA.
Some characteristics of Aleutian
Fur.Hunters.
a Trader Narrates His Experiences in the
Islands-Local Idlosyncracies -Chas-
ing the Otter.

conn X. Henderson, who has been en-
gagged IN trading with the natives of Alaska
and the Aleutian Islands for some time,
came down from the north a few days ago
TO spend brief vacation In the city. He
talked very freely with CALL reporter at
the faiace yesterday, and narrated some in
terestlng experiences encountered in tie
course OF his commercial transactions.
Alaska Is very volcanic country" said
MIR. henderson; "every little island pos
sesSes It's volcano, and the mainland is also
dotied with these smoking giants, which
present magnificent spectacle, towering
high IN the air, their sides covered with
snow to their SUBMITS, and the smoke pour
ing iorth IN dense clouds. They frequently
treated us TO brisk cannonade, and at
night emitted burning lava, serving as lofty
lighthouses to indicate the coast-line to
sailors.
I'm the center of Sanak Island is an i'm
mense volcano, which is now extinct. The
balance of the island practically consists Of
lakes. divided by narrow strips of land.
1here are 400 Of these lakes on an island
ABOUT sixteen miles long and six wide. con-
sequently there is not much room lie it for
solld surface. and land there is at pre-
MUM.
MISERABLE NATIVE ALEUTs.
The native Aleuts are miserably abiect
race, and are entirely under the control Of
priests. The majority of the white resi-
dents on the islands are Sailors who lave
turned fishermen or hunters, and YOU can
perhaps readily comprehend that according
10 population there are more cheerful liars
In Alaska than in any other country in the
world The arrival of trading schooner at
one OF The settlements is the occasion of
perfect jubilee. All of the inhabitants flock
around, and nearly drive one crazy with
their cnatter. In very short time all of
these visitors get drunk, and then the talk
ing match commences. There are so few
topics for conversation that in order to give
each man chance with his tongue n great
deal OF repetition has to be endured, and the
stranger hears the same old tales retold
again and again. When the party begins to
grow unusually merry, ana about eight in
slst upon addressing single auditor at one
ana the same time, even a show of interest
becomes impossible, and life is positively a
burden.
A GOOD DISCIPLE OF o'DoNNELL.
Some OF these old characters are very
curious specimens. There is an aged otter
hunter up there, whose name, l believe, is
Tom Williams. but he delights to masquer-
ade under the title of DR.. O'Donnell. He is
an old-timer, so old indeed that he is almost
ioSSlIlzed. lie came down to the post one
day with some otter skins, which | pur-
chased. 1t was about o'clock In the after
noon when we concluded our bargain, and
he began to talk me to death, continuing his
babble until l o'clock the next morning,
When L peremptorliy choked him off. OF
course the Doctor was under the influence
Of whisky, which made his tongue wag the
faster. he would slide from one subject to
another with the same facility with which
the whisky slid down his throat.
In making the circuit of the islands last
spring we stopped on a certain occasion at
Cations Island and, contrary TO our usual
experience, we found very few people about
A small party from the schooner tramped
10 lodge about three miles distant, where
two veteran hunters named Mcleod and
McCathern lived.
DEATH OF A VETERAN HUNTER
I'VE found the latter quite sick, but Me-
Leod sold us some furs, and we returned 10
the schooner A few days later Mcleod
came over to tell us that his partner was
dead and TO invite us to attend his ObSe-
Quies. OF course we had to go, cursing in
wardly, and had another long tramp, on a
beastly afternoon. The funeral was rather
a comedy in its way. The ceremonies con-
sisted mainly OF drinking. and when finally,
almost everybody being full, they dumped
the box containing the remains of the dead
hunter into grave, there was no accom-
paDyng burial service, Mcleod merely
carrying bible unsteadily under his arm.
''Sca-otters are away up just at present,
and occupy prominent position among tile
Alaskan industries. An oiter-skin is not
exactly worth its weight in gold. but ii is a
very valuable possession. and 100 skins con-
stltute small fortune. 1t requires consid-
cradle rustling to obtain few of these
lovely furs, and the different trading outfits
watch each other like cats. each endeayor-
ing to secure all the available skins
"A full-grown otter measures about six
and half feet from the tip OF the nose to
the end of the tail, the dimensions of the
female being somewhat smaller than those
| have quoted.
WHALERs CATCHING Offers.
The animals are found in various colors.
black, brown and gray. The pure blacks
and the silyer-tlpped varieties are the most
valuable.
Quite number of whale-hunters are
now chasing these valuable animals They
go out in schooners, which usually carry
from three to five 'bdarkas,' according 10
the tonnage of the craft The bidarkas are
made by the natives from the skins of sea-
lions spread over very light wooden
framework. They are manned by native
Aleuts, who are expert hunters. A white
man requires considerable practice before
he can ever manage TO maintain his bal
ance in enc of these bldarkas, but the ma
iives are quite at home in them, and will
even venture out in the toughest kind Of
weather.
The large schooners have otter-boats.
resembling whale boats, and which are
manned by white hunters. Sometimes the
white hunters place nets short distance
from the shore in localities frequented by
the otter. and many valuable skins are OBJ
tanned IN this way