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

katta," Mr.. Duncan's prosperous village
we have Just left. The first impression
- to make one ashauned OF the displays
Of the human race Fastening ashore
with our right hand friend-the Lun-
delius cameFa-we commence Q tour OF
inspection and photography. Where
did We 60 and what did we see? We
went everywhere and saw. well. every
thing possible In the time allotted us.
We visited the natives. we entered their
homes (hovels). we talked with them.
we saw their idols, their miniature 70.
TENS, We visited their sacred burial
places, we saw their sick. even dying.
saw them cure their salmon. cook their
meals, all in the worst possible condt-
ton of fifth. sQualor and offensive odor.
AMONG THE NATIVES.
From the steamer We follow long
wharf, at the end Of which Is the old
storehouse. and perhaps half dozen
stores, a weather beaten stockade and
leaning block house. Here the shrewd
Siwash are sQuatted IN groups. say, OF
a half dozen, their posture like that Of
the lower animal-the monkey. They
are dressed in the most gaudy red.
white, blue and striped blankets and
adorned with personal ornaments that
even surpass In variety and brilliancy
| the giddiest of the gay. Here are grim
women and cubby. chubby children,
with wild almond-shaped eyes and
painted faces. The women wear la
brette-a silver, ivory, bone or wooden
| ornament. that is thrust through the
under lip. the size Of which indicates
| their rank. Here they all corgregate
| which comprise the native blankets.
reed baskets, the Tyhee hat. the hall
hut hook. the miniature totem pole, ca
| noe paddles, painted In various cOlors
| the carved wand and rattles Of the
''Shamah," or medicine man, besides
| souvenir spoons Of carved horn. and
| wooden bracelets and rings and baskets
laden with the choicest OF every known
kind Of field berries OF immense size. We
| follow along the principal street on a
| plank walk 50 badly dilapidated that
] the middle of the street Is plefera BILE.
with grass growing a foot high on the
one side and refuse firewood strew1l
on the other, while on the beach are
canoes and old schooner hulks. All
along the route and In front of each hut
sit the women (mainly) offering foI
sale their unique handiwork. We soon
| reach q series OF Indian huts, each with
q dsmon-like totem pole beside It, Here
| we pause to tell the story Of the totem
and describe the interior Of some OF
the many smellful households that We
/! visited. Here are found the best col
lection Of these rude works Of savage
art on our entire trip. Alas! what
homes! How can ! describe them
Nearly all e them are inferior In
cleanliness and orderliness and ap.
pointments of any farm wOOdshed and
many far more dilapidated.
ESKIMO HOUSES.
Frequently n house shelters severa
families, who herd together in a yer!
proIniscuous manner. We will refer t.
one or two only that we visited. w
were told 1t Is a custom never to knOcl
at the cOOr OF an Alaskan dwelling, 81
we entered house after house withOu
the faintest tap of warning. The door:
We're Cfren open. but never locked. Th'
inmates were mainly in bed and re
ceived US without a trace of surprise
We enter this special hOvel about 6 a
m., before all the occupants had arisen
Here were two or three families Of al,
old women, two middle-aged men and ,
very old man. The children or tn,
younger members Of the family wer
:,aid to he away fishing. Upon enter
ing a dull haze of smoke prevadc'
the air. and the oily smell of fish wh!cl
we're hanging from the low, dingy SCOT
covered rafters. being cured for winte
use, was sitting. This building, as 1
the usual custom. consisted Of singh
room, there are no divisions. or parti
tions and privacy is almost impossihla
On the ground, In the center Of tn
room. il the fire place. The earth ha,
been left uncovered and coarse sant
and rebbles from the beacn had beeI
strewn over this place, say a yart