The indicator., 1897-10-23
ALASKAN CANNIBALS.
Gold Seekers Win See Them En-
Route to the Klondike
Queer Aborixine. W hose Customs and
Habits Are Based Upon
Belief. In the super
natural.

Along lnt coast oA SouAutAA -NAd@hA
dwell some very queer aborigines, as
gold seekers tiocldng to the hlondike
region will surely discover. They do
the most of the frcighung across the
passes into the interior carrying loads
IN their backs, but their population dur
ing many centuries has been SO shut
away from other tribes by gigantic
ranges OF snow clad mountains that
they have developed u peculiar culture
and customs unknown anywhere else.
Hence the exceptional value OF a mono
graph about them prepared by DR..
Franz Boaz, a distinguished ethologist,
which is to be published shortly by the
National museum.
These natives may be said to live
largely in a world Of Imagination, mas
much as their customs and habits OF
living are based to a great extent upon
ideas and beliefs wholly supernatural
Creation, from their point OF view, Is
peopled by strange monsters and de
mons, which, wh-e morally hostile to
man, may be rendered friendly and even
helpful with the aid of certain cere-
monials of quasi religious character
For example the most important Of
these monsters is a serpent which has
head at each end of its body and
human head in the middle. To touch
this strange monster these natives be
lieve is death, all the joints of the vic
tim becoming dislocated. but specially
favored individuals are enabled 10 per-
form wonderful feats by wearing
belt of its skin, while its e-es, used as
sling stones, will kill any animal, even
whales. Another OF these fabulous be-
ings is a wild woman who lives iu the
woods. She has enormous breasts and
carries basket. into which size puts
children whom she steals for the pur-
pose of eating
One of the most remarkable of the
festivals celebrated by the Indians is
carnival Of ghosts. which is held each
winter. 1t seems to be derived from
tradition that tells of a journey made
by an adventurous individual to a region
beneath the earth, inhabited by phan-
toms. The celebration itself is mimic
representation of the visit to Hades
aforesaid. and the performer who rep
resents the submundane traveller wears
q necklace and headdress set round with
Skulls.
Cannibalism is very conspicuous in
the myths current among these people,
who have themselves been eaters of
human flesh up 20 Il recent period. In
deed, though the whites are supposed
to have put stop to such practices, it
would seem that secret indulgence in
them has not been wholly done away
with.
Quite number of strange demons
are worshipped as guardian spirits
among them a cannibal demon that lives
on the mountains and is always en-
gagged in the pursuit of human beings
for his table. The smoke of his chimney
is the color Of blood, and he has fe-
male slave who gets food for him by
catching men and collecting corpses.
In his house is "A fabulous bird, with an
immensely long beak, which lives on
tho brains of persons whose skulls it
fractures with its bill. Anybody who
is so unfortunate as to encounter the
caunibal spirit may be transformed
into grizzly bear. On the other hand.
if he can please the demon, he may OBJ
tain power to handle fire without being
burned.
Another guardian spirit is fearsome
warrior who lives in the far north. He
travels constantly, and never leaves his
canoe By obtaining his protection
man may become inyulnerable. or he
may acquire power to catch the iuvisi-
BILE disease demon. This demon is at
all time flying about in the air in the
form of worm. The fortunate prOtege
of the warrior spirit catching the worm
can throw it into the body of an enemy.
who will d lie at once The suggestion
of the modern germ theory Of disease
contained in this belief is quite interest
ing. Not to be neglected amoug the
guardian spirits are certain ghosts.
which bestow the power or returning
to life after death
D. Boaz has secured for the National
museum large number Of masks, such
rs are worn by the Indians of the Alas
kan coast in their ceremonials. Some
of them are Of enormous size and as
tonishingly rotesque-Cincinnat En-.
quirer.