The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-07
A Visit to the Annette Island
Alaska.
STATUS OF THE WHITE MEN
THE ISLAND SET ASIDE BY ACT OF
CONGRESS.
For the Use of the MetInlahtinns
and Other Alaskan Nntives-WorI<
of William Duncan, Missionary
-Government of the Town an In
teresting Study.


point bordered by long, smooth
beach, extends into Tamgas harbor,
which indents the west edge of An
nette island. The town of Metlakah-
tina is stretched along this beach, with
the mountains rising to the heighth of
$500 feet behind it. The beach is
thickly dotted with Indian canoes.
When we landed on our arrival from
Hitchikan we sent a delegation OF one
to the house of Mr.. Duncan to ascer-
tain whether our presence would be
permitted and to get some suggestions
as to place to camp. We knocked at
the plain one-story building pointed
out to us and were hidden to come in.
In a square room, that was complna-
ton of a library and business man
Office. Mr.. Duncan was easily writing
at a large desk covered with books and
papers. He is well built man OF five
; feet six inches, about 80 years OF age,
with gray hair and a beard that is cut
short, and a round, rudy face. He is
the picture of health, does an enor-
nous amount of work, and rumor says
that he expects his assistants to do
the same He greeted US cordially, IN
sisted that we should not camp on the
beach, and proceeded to the town
guest house." There is an empty
building near the beach, bullt Tor the
use of transient visitors. 1t was al
ready occupied by Indians. An intel
ligent looking man was asked whether
we could not be entertained in house
standing near by, and was assured, as
we were told later, that we were OF
good character or we would not pc al
lowed to stay. AT this house we were
kindly provided for while in the Town.
| The status of white men in MetlaK-
ahtla is peculiar. Annette island mas
been set aside by Congress as a reset
walton for the use of the Metlakahtla
indians. and those people known as the
Metlakahtlans who have recently MI
grated from British Columbia TO Alas-
! ka. and such other Alaskan natives as
NAV ioin them, to be held and used by
them in common, under such rules ana
regula tons, and subject TO such re-
| strictions as may be prescribed from
fine to time by the secretary of the
interior" In order to make this grant
effective and carry out the purposes OF
the original settlers, the following
agreement has been signed by those
who have settled here:
"METLAKAHTLA. ALASKA,
Declaration of Residents:
"We, the people Of Metlakahtla,
! Alaska. in order to secure ourselves
and our posterity the blessings OF a
Christian home, do severally subscribe
to the following rules for the regula-
ton of our conduct and town affairs:
81. To reverence the Sabbath, and
to refrain from all unnecessary secular
work on that day; to attend divine
worship; to take the Bible for our rule
of a faith; to regard all true Christians
as our brethren, and to be truthful
honest and Industrious.
50 To be faithful. and loyal to the
government and laws of the United
States.
80 To render our votes when called
upon for the election of the town coun-
ell and to promptly obey the laws and
lorders imposed by the said council.
"a To attend to the education OF
our children and keep them at schoo
as regularly as possible.
s'5 To totally abstain from all in
toxicants and gambling and never at
tend heather festivities or countenanct
Eheathen customs in surrounding vii
lagos.
i So To strictly carry out all SAM
Itary regulations necessary for the
4 health of the town
l., az. To identify ourselves to the pro
1 gress of the settlement and to utilize
the land we hold.
y. never 10 dlleudIc, Give away VI
sell our land, or building lots, or any
portion thereof, to any person or per
sons who have not subscribed to these
rules"
This policy of keeping Metlakahtls
for Metlakahtlans, is strictly adhered
to. In the town of about 1000 inhabi
tants there are eight white persons
Mr.. Duncan, Mr.. Bluett, an English
physician who for the last ten years
crir m
ance, Mr.. Wenzener and his wife, who
have charge of the girls boarding
school; Mr.. Wenzener, jr., who has
been teaching the day school, 3aA1 hi:
wife; a little Frenchman and the fore
man of the cannery. The foreman o1
the cannery is only in town during the
salmon season. The little Frenchmar
was an employee of the Hudson Bay
company forty-five years ago. he has
cast his lot with these people and i!
lnow living with his third Indian wife
by whom he is very much hen-pecked
Dr. Bluitt Is just returning to Eng
land. He is a most estimable gentle
man and the natives place great faitl
in his skill as a physician-with thes
exceptions white men are rigidly ex
: cluded from settling here. This i
chiefly because frontier white men, a
, rule, teach the Indian nothing bu
evil. Time and again men have at
tempted to seduce Metlakahtla girls
, One young man came to town for thi
, purpose and was on the way to sue
, cess when Mr.. Duncan learned of hi
: intentions. He sent for the fellow AM
| told him that since the night wa
stormy he might remain until morn
ing, when he must be gone. A police
man guarded his boarding place tina
night and in the morning he departed
: There are laws making it crime TO
t a white man to live with an IndiaI
woman unmarried. and Mr. Dunca,
| has been very diligent in supportin
these laws. Another crime of whic
5 white men are continually guilty /
, the sale of liquor to Indians. Eve
: boys on the steamer going to Sitk
to the school are constantly urged an
| sometimes almost forced to drink.
r Another reason for the separation j
| the desire to protect for a time.
: people who are, industrially, in thei
infancy from the competition Of thei
| shrewd> and far seeing neighbor.
The spirit and progress of Meta
: kahtla can only be understood in tn
l light of the principles which hav
built it.
: There are people who are sceptica
: as to the motives of Mr.. Duncan o
l any other missionary. But no one cal
fail to be interested in a man VIII
come to a tribe of savage cannibals
whose language no white man cal
speak, and at the end of forty year
) has made. from this material a civil
: lied town conducting large industries
: In 1857. Mr.. William Duncan cam
from England around Cape Horn t
: Fort Simpson. Two thousand degrade
and fierce Indians were living at thi
place. The day he landed an Indial
: was wanton1y killed at the gate of rh
! fort and his dead body mutilated an
4 cast into the sea. The officials of tn
!, Hudson Bay company demonstrate