The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-10
Admiral Walker Thinks 1t a
Charmed Land.
STRANGE LIFE OF THE NATIVES
Some Model Settlements Visited and
Inspected by the Party on
the Columbine.

active naval life has seen strange things
beyond number. and has been able to
carry on great deal of quiet investigat-
ing and relic hunting in nearly every
country under the sun. HIS recent trip
to Alaska, however, has given him ex-
periences that overshadow all that either
Europe or Asia has been able to show
dim, and he is delighted to think that he
has been enabled to visit the northern
wonderland and see its strange and beau
tlful sights.
Speaking OF the voyage the admiral said
en- Sunday to- an Astorian representa-
tive:
"My whole trip was a series of sur
prises and / will never be able to lose
the memory of them as long as live.
In fact, I've been talking about them ever
since came back, and l am afraid that
my friends are probably getting tired OF
listening to the same old subject. The
ice that have In this glass;" said the
admiral, holding up q liberal noggln Of
Scotch" '1s from one Of the magnii-
cent bergs that float around in front of
the Muir glacier. Our ice chests have
been supplied with 1t ever since, and there
Is enough left now to last until we get
from the glacier as large as eight-story
buildings, and fall into the sea with q
thud that shook the Columbine up and
down like a cockleshell Our pilot, Fran
els, was a source OF perpetual study to
me- He has handled vessels in Alaskan
walters for many years and has never yet
had mishap, though ne Is the most dar-
ing navigator that has ever been seen
up there. He took the steamer In and
out, threading her among enormous
masses Of ice and down canyons, In many
places With just room to pass. All the
time he stood In the pilot house with one
eye tight shut and the other seemingly
looking at nothing.
II was very much interested In OBJ
serving the habits and customs OF tht
Alaskan Indians. To me they seem 4
bear a very great resemblance TO the peo
pie on the borders of western China ant
Tartary and have no doubt but whai
they originally came from Asia. Tht
features are almost identical. Before we
had been many days in the north we
anchored in front Of an Indian winter
village. 1t was crowded with hideous
looking totem poles in front of every
house and nearly the whole population
was away fishing. A decrepit old couple
and q healthy boy about eight years OF
age were all the inhabitants we could
find. They welcomed us gladly, and
seemed to recognize the stars and stripes.
We went through several houses, all im-
mense community rooms with hollow pits
for fires dug In the center, and raised
banks all around for sleeping. / noticed
particularly the great cedar logs they
have strung up under the roof and have
not found out yet how they got them
there. You can't call them rafters for
they run fore and aft. We were scared
the whole time that some of those enor-
nous sticks would fall. Every wind
seemed to shake them perceptibly. The
Indian curios that have brought away
with me will delight my friends In Wash
ington City / have always prided my
self on being a careful and dainty selector
of these things IN all parts OF the world,
but In Alaska the novelty and charm of
the surroundings and the peculiar and
manifold legends connected with the In
dian charms caused my judgment to run
riot and for days Mr.. Johnson and my
self reveled In the purchase of all kinds
Of strange and wonderful things. l was
aston.shed to see that In many cases
these curios bore evidence OF carvings
as delicate and predse as any / have
ever seen in Europe, and some OF the
highest class OF workmanship showed
figures as nearly perfect as they can be
made with wood and steel. But the com
mercial instinct has penetrated even to
Alaska Indians and l have found since
we left the north that several OF the
ships crew have been spending their
money on wooden spoons and forks two
hundred years old that bear every evil
dence of having been made three weeks
ago. The most interesting thing have
In my collection Is O complete set OF
harpoonLng and spearing instruments
used in the capture of all kinds of fish
from whales down to the smallest var
ieties
'At Metlakatla we came across model
Indian colony. Mr.. Duncan, an old white
settler in that locality was formerly q
resident In British territory In that vicn-
tty and has surrounded himself with Q
tribe Of natives, educated and clothed
them, and taught them several OF the
Industrial arts, spending large sums OF
money on them every year. On account
of the obnoxious English laws relating
Ito their Indians, Mr.. Duncan decided tC
move his whole band over into Matlakatla
on American soil, and has been there
now with them for three years. They
have two schools and two churches. All
are well dressed. honest and intelligent
and all week they work In two sawmilli
built by Mr.. Duncan and owned by hin
and themselves jointly The greater par
Of their wages goes no buy stock In ths
mills. and several OF the are airead,
well to do. No liquor is allowed within
twenty miles OF the settlement, and Il
is wonderful to me how one man hal
been able to take number Of the lowest
order OF civilized beings on earth and
raise them up to be intelligent and pa.
trfoUc citizens. Their brass band OF
twenty pieces played the Star spanglet