Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-09-16
them engaged in catching salmon
or trapping for deer or bear.

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The streams are full of salmon
and will remain so for about two
or three weeks longer, when they
disappear almost as suddenly as
they came. So full are the streams
that one has only to wade into the
shallow water and pick out or
catch in his hands fish of any size,
from a few pounds in weight up.
The fish are SO numerous and so
packed that they can't get out of
the way and hence a selection of
only just such as one desires can
be made before stopping to catch
them and these are all salmon of
fine quality.
The Indians take such of the
salmon as they wish, split them
down the backs and dry them on
Iatticed frames When dry the
fish keep indefinitely and form the
principal source of the native food
supply. Bears come down from
the mountains to the streams TO
feed on the salmon and are killed
by the Indians lying in ambush
for them. The flesh of the bear
and deer is dried very similarly to
that of salmon and these practical
ly compose the meat supply of all
Alaskan Indians from October
until April.
Many varieties Of fish and
game are to be had throughout
the year but the habits of the Iu-
dams are so indolent that they
prefer to gather and dry their
food while it is easily obtained
during the warm weather, and
S pend the long winter in dancing,
singing and giving one another
feasts Al play and no work
seems to be their winter motto
anG in summer as little work as
possible. They get all the enjoy
ment they can from life and
spend only such moments as may
be necessary in gathering the ne,
cessities to carry on their good
times.
In all work the women and
children appear to be as impor-
tant as the men. Sc soon as a
boy or girl is tall enough. it is
taught how to paddle a canoe,
dry fish, or build camp; and by
the time the little ones are six or
eight years of age they are kept
as steadily and laboriously at
work doing their part as the fa>
ther or mother. Yet with all this
one seldom sees happier or more
mischievous children than these
young Indians. Their parents are
always indulgent and join as
heartily in the children's plays
as do the youngsters themselves.
The Indian population is esti-
mated to number about $4,000
anG it is known that it is not in
creasing. bat supposed to be
either about stationary or de-
creasing This is due to the Gus :
ton of bathing daily all the year
IN the sea, the intense wintry
cold causing the development of
pulmonary diseases and killing
off all those except of the har-
diest sort. Another great factor
in the Indian trouble is rum, an
evil which neither the men nor
the women seem able to with>
stand-and this rum is of such a
vile quality that its ravages are
soon noticeable. The stringent
laws. forbidding the introduction
Of alcoholic liquors into the ter
ritory seem to have no effect in
preventing the Indians from get
ting them.
We are still at work here and
looking with more or less pleas
ure to the beginning of October,
when our labors cease, and we
sail for San Francisco.
just at present we are engaged
at the junction of Frederick and
Chatham Sounds, aud hope to
have sufficiently well charted
course for ships to come up from
outside, and thus enable sailing
vessels to compete with steamers
using the inside track, and so
reduce the enormous freight
rates now charged.
The wonderful gold findings in
the Klondike region of the Yukon
valley has given Alaska a won-
derful boom, and steamers
crowded with adventurous spirits
are rushing TO the New Eldoras
do. There are undoubtedly very
excellent prospects for a strong
man able and willing to work,
and hardy enough to endure the
viclssitudes of climate ranging
from wintry cold of 80 degrees
below zero to 120 degrees in mid
summer.
Glowing accounts are given by
returning miners as to the ex--
ceeding richness of rock aud
placer finds, and several millions
in gold dust have already been
sent Juneau
We spent Decoration Day" in
Sitlxa and tho onntract bo+noo,