Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-04-05
THE FIRST MOSQUITO.
THE ALASKAN INDIANS HAVE A Leg
END ON THE SUBJECT.

Some Thrilling and Exceedingly Uncom-
Portable Experiences with the Pssiy
Insects-Means Employed as Protection
Against the Saw Bills.
The mosquito Is q universal pest. It
thrives in lands both frigid and tropical
From one end of the earth to the other the
little tyrant persecutes mankind with his
vicious bite and tantalizing singing.
In Alaska during the summer time his
presence makes life almost intolerable-
even the tough old moose and caribou and
shaggy coated bears are driven from the
valleys and compelled to seek shelter on the
the constant breeze.
When the Indian is resting in the woods,
he sets fire to the leaves and twigs around
him, making smudge which protects him
against the clouds of insects till he is ready
to shoulder his pack and take the trail
again. Before leaving he never thinks Of
extinguishin2 the fire he has made, and big
forest fires often result from this neglect.
A breeze will fan the smoldering embers
into fame, which will creep up into the
dry spruce and hemlock and rapidly spread
till miles and miles Of timber lands are
burned to blackened stumps.
w ucu travelling III AldShd, Out Wult0 Iudn
smears his hands and face with bacon fat
and pine pitch as a defense against mos
quito bites, but even with this unsavory
precaution have had my head SO swollen
by the poisonous singing that could not
wear my hat.
Sleep is simply impossible without the
shelter of a good mosquito net, and this
must be carefully tucked in, for all night
long swarms of mosquitoes will be creeping
all over it, persistently seeking an entrance.
and if there is weak spot in your fortifi-
cations it will be discovered. When by
some accident man finds himself at the
mercy of these pests, he will attempt an es-
cape no matter what the risk.
! remember that one time in Alaska l
was hunting mountain sheep on some
heights which could only be reached by
dangerous climbing. Late in the evening
found the darkness closing around me,
and was at an elevation of 5000 feet. At
ali points steep stones reached down to the
valley below. After searching for posi-
BILE means Of descent l finally discovered
the head of a small cascade, and decided
to follow this.
At first the little stream tumbled over
huge powders, among which / carefully
made my way without accident, but then
I reached a point where the waters flowed
over a smooth face of rock which slanted
down abruptly for so feet. AS was hest
Eating about continuing my journey by
this dangerous route clouds of mosquitoes
were swarming around me and attacking
me most numerically, and determined to
escape from them at all hazards.
Throwing my feet out in front of me, |
let myself slide down the steep rock. For
some distance ! sped along merrily, but l
was unable to stop myself, and upon reach
ing an uneven stretch of stone was thrown
off my course and tumbled head over heels,
in which undignified position continued
for few yards until was flung broadside
onto hemlock stump, which stopped my
further progress in a nerve SCATTERING man
ner.
The tobogganing experiment had been
unpleasant. was bruised and scratched
and stabbed all over with the spikes of the
DEVILS cub plant but as sat in the smoke
of the campfire that night l felt grateful
for having escaped the mosquitoes, even at
such cost.
The Alaskan Indians have a legend re-
cording the origin of mosquitoes
In the olden times there lived in the
snow buried mountains of Klecea an old
giant, hideous to behold and mighty in
strength. He lived with his wife and three
big sons All were cannibals, and they
subsisted entirely upon human beings. The
old father had snares and spiked pitfalls
on all the trails leading to the interior with
which he caught the unwary traveller. So
successful were the giants inhuman efforts
that the powerful nations of Chilcat and
Goonennar dwindled down till only few
families were left.
Eventually a medicine man ambitious
for glory decided that he would pit his nat.
ural cunning and supernatural power
against the giants strength and skill.
Armed with keen bladed knife and an as.
sortment of wonder working charms, the
doctor started off for the contest. He ap-
preached the traps very carefully and then
purposely and with but slight injury he
caught himself in one of the snares and lay
still as though dead. Soon the old giant,
making his rounds in the morning, came
along, and seeing the sleek carcass of the
doctor chuckled to himself at his unusual
success, and putting the body into a sack
which he always carried for the purpose he
started home to receive the congratulatory
remarks of his family upon his fat catch,
and upon his reaching his hut preparations
were at once made to convert the doctor
into a dainty meal
The smoldering embers of the fire were
blown into flame, and big cooking pots had
already been provided, when suddenly the
doctor sprang to his feet and commenced to
c.. and stab with his knife So unexpected
was the attack and so dexterously was the
weapon handled that in few minutes the
bloodthirsty old giant and his entire fam
lily were lying dead. These cannibals had
been very untidy and dirty, and everywhere
the dust was lying inches thick. This
few up in clouds when the scrimmage took
place with the medicine man, and every
particle turned into a mosquito when the
giants died.-E. ]. Glave in Philadelphia
Press.
What to Read.