The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-18
HIS INITIAL EXPERIENCE.
An Alaska Indians First Trip Into CIV


A number of Interesting passengers came
down or the Willapa. but none more SO
than Pilka Pieteroff, half breed Alaska
Indian. making his entree into the world
of civilization He IS paying his own ca
penses. from money earned as a guide III
the Yukon country, and Is very nom
committal tourist. With Indian stoicisI1
he views the devices of civilized man. and
though ne says nothing. the white men
with whom he is travelling say he is very
alert and nothing escapes his observation.
He makes no mistakes in etiquette. ana
follows the wise plan OF doing everything
as be sees others do. His table manners
during the trip on the steamer were be-
yond reproach. tor before eating his FOOD
he watched his neighbor carefully, ana
when he took mouihful. did likewise.
Pilka Pieteroff came down from FORTY
Mile as the guide of Edward Mcconnell
and ]. A. Williams, earning $500 in that
capacity. MIR Williams does not give
very encouraging report of the Yukon
country, and when seen al the Northern
hotel last night spoke freely OF the cohn-
try and the conditions under which the
people there are striving to locate the
evasive gold mine.
The ground IS frozen hard. re raid,
for several inches. and above the surface
is about two inches of frozen moss In or
and fire Is then built on the ground TO
thaw IL out before it will yield 10 the
noint of a pick AS soon as the dirt Is
.haged to A depth Of two inches that much
Of the ground is picked out. another fire
hallt or the next layer, ana so on untii
bedrock is reached. Even then II is
hundred chances to enc against anything
being found.
There are about go people living at
-. fhsE
houses are haLt OF logs. ana are warm and
comfortable In building the walls logs
are smoothcd of on one side. and the up
uer side is covered thickly win moss
Each log resting on a fiat surface on a
bed OF moss makes the wall perfectly air
tight /, is terribly cold there. the TIER
monster sometimes reaching - degrees
below zero. and piners wear what Is
called parkee The parkee is made by
the Isdiaps OF animal skins, ard Is shape
like an athletes sweater, the neck piece
coming high about the face. ana ntuas
suugiy The best ones are made OF ST.
herian reindeer skin, although skins OF
other animals are used.
'-TAe-e are three steamers operated on
the Yukon river now. the Alice. Arctic and
Wsare The FIRST two are owned by the
Alaska Commercial Company and the Last
bv the North American Trading x Trans
portation Company. More viii have TO be
pat on tn accommodate the rush of reo-
pie going there this spring. When We were
coming out we met about leo men on the
way in. The trip down was made in about
thirly-seVen days. ard one morning the
Thermometer was G. degrees below zero.
L have been up there aoout year. look
ing around. and s.ii 20 back IN time TO
START from Lake Linderman when the ice
breaks up. think that wiil be about June
! Tnerc vill be manS people Rho are go
Ing - the Yukon who will regret the s1ep.
ana many will orly have 10 size up Chit
koot pass 70 he ready 20 turn back Meier
theless | am going hack"