The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-08-12
NORTH YAKIMA. WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, AUGUST IL,

underneath the ground, where they leav,
them for several days, until they become
very odoriferous and ripe" Then they
dig the fish heads up, place them in al
Old boat and throw red.h hot stones among
them to try out the oil. After the stone.
cool the Chilcat women get into the boat
and squeeze out the oil from the fish
heads by tramping and stamping upon
them with their bare feet. The oil il
then dipped up, and, being poured over
the salmon berries, makes-to the Chill.
kats an appetizing dish, which they par.
take of with great and evident relish. II
is not likely that any OF the tenderfeet
Iourneying up into the gold diggings OF
the klondyke will step at any Chilkat
public. house on the way for a dish OF
salmon berries dressed in oil.
The Chilksts are rapidly laying aside
their old customs and habits, and many
OF them are becoming Christianized. Were
it not for the influence held by race OF
high-caste fakirs, dervishes, or more
properly speaking, witch doctors, one
generation would see them thoroughly
civilized. Most Of the murders commit
ted nowadays are directly traced to the
influence of the witch doctor, and par.
ticularly to one known as Scundeau. The
old scamp has just served term in San
Quentin prison, in California, but 80
much did Mr.. Warne fear his influence
over the people, that upon coming away
he committed several old women whom
Scundeau had accused of practicing
witchcraft to the care of the government
police, for fear that while he was gone
they might be put out of the way.
The country around Chilkat is not, as
many suppose, cold country. Last
winter the average temperature WAS Is
above zero, while in the summer the
temperature rises to II degrees. Pota-
toes, turnips. rutabagas, beets and other
hardy vegetables grow there in profuson
but the summer season is not long
enough for the ripening of fruits, toms
toes, corn, beans, onions and such vege.
tables. Rye. wheat and buckwht at will
grow and ripen, but oats and other grains
do not do we'll. There is plenty of grass
and good hay. As to ice, that is never
seen in the inlets and bays on which
Hslnes Mission, Juneau and Chicat are
situated, as the warm Japan current pre-.
vents that as well as preventing the
severe winters.
The steamers which land passengers
for the Klondyke do 80 within sight of
the Presbyterian mission at Haines and
Chilkat, and many miners going and
coming stop at the mission.house. Mr.
Warne believes that the future great city
OF Alaska must be situated at Chilkat,
which is at the head of Portage bay,
where the land journey through Chilkat
pass, the route of the future to the gold
fields, begins. Next summer there will
nnquestionably be wagon road construc-
ted through this pass to the gold dig
gings 500 miles distant. This can be
kept open most of the year, while the
Yukon river is choked with ice and froz.
en- solid. The trip through the Chilkat
pass, which is an all.land route, is much
safer than the one by way OF Dyea,
through the Chilkoot pass, although a
little longer. 1t has been made from the
missions to the gold dgpings by men on
foot in summer in IA days.
The influence the rush to the gold
fields will have upon the aboriginal in
hsbitants at Chilkat and other place ia
not hard to foretell. The men are Meth
or lazy nor shiftless like the Indians, bu.
quick witted, intelligent and quick to
learn and initiate the whites. They will
lay aside their savage life, and In the
future this race will emerge from it's
heathenism and perhaps become thrifty,
industrious, law abiding race Of people.
La fact, every indication at present points
to that ultimate result, as many of them
are already possessed OF considerable
wealth, run sawmlls, are lum bermen and
are working in the mines. Particularly
are those who have been brought under
the influence of the Christian missions
thrifty and rapidly accommodating wealth.
In the near future the United States gov
eminent will be called upon TO deal with
the question as to whether these people
shall be citizens or not. They are not
Orientals, though unquestionsbly OF
Monaghan origin. They are not Eski-
mos, neither are they Indians. They are
not white, neither are they black. They
are to the soil native, but do not belong
to the prescribed races to whom citizen.
ship is denied. Many of them own and
occupy property which, when the coun-
try is organized. will be taxed. The gov
eminent will be asked to fix their status,
no doubt, in the near future.