Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-01-07
NATIVES OF ALASKA.
some OF the Strange tustoms Which Pre-
vail Among the Thinkets.

Some of the Strange customs Which Pre-
vail Among the Thlinkets.
Alaskan music is not unlike Chinese
In its monotony. The instrumental
music is extracted principally from a
guitar OF two strings. But there can be
no doubt of the Thlinkets musical apti-
tude. This IS shown by the children at
the mission schools. All Alaskan4 have
the same difficulty as the Chinese in
pronouncing : and V. rheumatism be-
comes numatism, every. ebly; story,
stoly; years, yeabs. Pronunciation varies
with the situa ton of the letter.
A hideous pecul arity Of the Ihl;ukets
is the wearing among the women Of
what is called the 'Iabre tie" in slit
made below and horizontal with the
mouth. Oddly enough, among the Eski-
mos the men often insert 81 milar atrOci-
ties in the corners Of their mouths.
When the girls arrive at the age of
fourteen or fifteen the center of the
under lip is perforated, and piece OF
copper wire in PRODUCED to prevent the
aperture from closing. This aperture
is gradually heightened and the wooden
or ivory ornaments are enlarged in pro-
portion till they are freq nently in
creased to three and even four inches
in length, and almost equal width
This generally happens when the ma
tron is advanced in years and the
muscles are relaxed.
The labrette is followed out on each
side like a spoon, though not quite so
deep; the edges are likewise followed
in the form of a pulley, in order to fix
this precious ornament more firmly to
the lip.
1t is rare now on the coast to see Ia
brettes worn by young women. They
think them foolish, having been severe
ly criticised by the whites and told that
they were ugly. Vanity prevents them
from distorting, their not too pleasing
faces; but | saw many a labrette worn
by old women, and hideous enough was
the spectacle.
1t is said-I will not vouch for the
truth of the tatemert-that this orna-
ment is sometimes as useful as it has
heretofore been considered ornamental,
affording firm hold for the fair fingers
Of their posscssors when engaged III
drunken broils
The Thlinlets, like other native
races, are hospitable to a fault When
an Indian has a surplus of food he is
not happy until his friends help him to
eat it up. What they can not devour on
the spot they are expected to carry
away A host is offended if his guests
do not partake of every thing set be-
fore them; if strangers are among the
common in a single day. When Judge
Swan was anticipating such an infic-
ton, his Indian companion warned him
not to eat too much lest he should be
sick and not able to eat unto the bitter
end
The pot is always on the fire and the
food is almost all boiled, although flour
and water of forbiddlng texture is often
fried
''Muck-a-muck" Is seaweed. 1t looks
not unlike tobacco, and is chewed, but
when cooked with vinegar it is said to
be good to eat.
The leaves of the bearberry or kinni-
kinick are mixed with tobacco for
smoking to exc out the precious mar.
cotic. These leaves are used for the
same purpose by all North American
Indians Once they were pounded iE
mortars, still extant, but Of no furthe.
use, for tobacco has superseded the ma
tive plant, and small Indian boys are
seen smoking the effcninate cigarette
with marvellous nonchalance. Spruce
gum is the women's JOY. Their jaws
are perpetually going, and the exp &C.
+oro tiOp iG-rnuorOUC
Though the Thlinllets are apparently
very dirty, owing to never changing
their clothes until the latter are ready
to drop off in rags, still they wash them.
selves daily, and are never SO persistent
in bathing as during the winter
Corporal punishment is the greatest
disgrace that can be inflicted on a man,
and is rarely resorted to, saving when a
bow refuses to bathe in cold water. Their
argument is punctuated by beating with
stick, which is considered less as 6
punishment than as means Of harden
ing the body. Kate Fields Washing
ton.