The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-02

square. In the middle was q fire uf
sticks teaSec about kettle o. fish,
probably salmon. which was slowly
cooking. The smoke made its escape
through the roof, through double trap
doors. o3ened In the center, accoi di:'s
to the direction Of the wind.
On entering a sQuaw was sitting on
the ground floor. ape-like. and 'grc..s
you verv much as your domestic ami
NAL would when you open the barn
dcnr IN the morning." She chatters in
gutteral tones to her liege lord. wh1
carelessly looks at me from his be-.
and grins and yawns and together with
him, his dogs by his side also yawn. but
hasrens to dress as point my camera
at him. Both nature and bed appeared
as If they had just come out of coal
mine.
Two or three Siwash were squat.cd
also In a circle around the fire. The
men who We're dressed were clothed in
the cast-off apparel Of the white man,
ari the women were tightly wrapped in
skirt or blankets. Around the sides
platform five or six feet wide and abou,
| four feet high was raised, whereon were
skins and blankets and a bedstead of
| rude construction. From under them
were seen two coppery faces. with star
| Ing eyes. and brood OF children. and
couple Of shaggy foxy NANCY dogs.
! On the outer wall were ranged the
various possessions of the families in
old chests, which were said to contain
\ numerous blankets and several monde
| script articles, denotinG their wealth,
| which, in some instances. amounts to
| several hundred dollars. The odor
| was so sitting and the sQualor was so
| alarmingly dangerous that we did not
| investigate further the board or lodg-
| ing and only fingered long enough to
purchase horn spoon out Of the family
pot and secure a fish-roe. which was
hung up to be dried and smoked for
winter use from the long rows of sal
mon and halibut. which were suspend
ed on q frame work of sticks. Here
| were dried eagle skins. a series Of hides
| and q kind Of sausage was stretched on
| lines on one side, while In the corner
| lay q pile Of wood, snOwshoes, fishing
nets and hunting paraphernalia. cans.
/ stones, rags and old refuse generally.
Cats. dogs, men. women and children,
bed, bedding and cooking utensils were
/: In a tumble and smoke was In every
nook. On our return trip and at
another place we visited. we spoke with
an old woman, who was sick and likely
to die. She was evidently very old, but
1t was impossible to determine her age.
| so wrinkled and smoke dried was she;
| indeed, she resembled a mummy rather
than a human being. Her skin was the
hue of tobacco and her natural ugliness
was intensified by labret. This labret
consists of piece OF polished bone
about an inch and a half long and over
half inch in width thrust through the
lower lip, making 1t impos. "le to keep
the mouth closed and leaving tooth
less gums fully exposed. 1t is, no. rver
regarded as mark Of respectability
Her ruling passion for business was
bret for 1.-TWO dollar" and an idol, three
feet high. for five dollar
There is said to be not a horse nor a
COW In Wrangel, but numerous goats
and many foxy, NANCY dogs are seen
On the beach are numerous Old-fash-
ioned canoes, with their long beak-lille
sterns and prows.
TOTEM POLES.
The totem pole is one Of the greatest
curiosities of Alaskan homes. 1t Is the
gorgeous insignia of Alaskan nobility
"a sort of ancestral emblem. formerly
held In high esteem, but fast disappear
ing. Ten years ago in Fort Wrange
was forest of these works Of savage
art, and only a few comparatively. are
found here now. 1t is not easy and we
shall not attempt to explain the full
meaning of these strange carvings. but
all who see them are eager to learr
something of them and we will give oul
readers q synopsis Of what we have
learned. Many theories are given tt
account for these totems. '"They are g
genealogical chronicle. represented by
carvings" One says. "As family pill
lars and memorials Of the dead they