The herald., 1898-05-01
pace with my poor luck, and 1 expect to
come out all right in the end.
New Year Festivities


come out all right in the end.
New Year Festivities
January 2, 1S9S.-Happy New Year! If
we did not have happy New Year on jan
uary LIST it was at least novel one to most
of us. There are now between 300 and 400
Indians here. New Years eve was cele-
brated by Indian yells, with tin-pan accom-
paniment, ending by shouting the old year
out. Our cabin is about three-quarters of
a mile from Capt. Rays headquarters.
New Years morning we could hear an up
roar in that direction and went to see what
was the matter Arriving there, we found
the entire Indian population whooping, yell
ing and laughing. Before / could realize
what was going on, a dozen squaws had
gathered about me. One reached out her
hand as if to shake hands; another grabbed
me by the arms, another by the legs. and in
a minute L was bouncing up and down, like
jumping jack. l could not help myself.
They did not let me touch the ground, and
kept me going until they were tired. Every
white man in camp who put in an appear
ance shared similar fate, either at the
hands of bucks or squaws.
Captain Ray, with his skinny frame, long
ii
thrown into space and famed the air to
the music of the shouts and laughter of the
red men of the spruce forests of Alaska,
and the minister joined in the uproar. He
soon shared a similar fate. Lieutenant
Richardson, who weighs about 24O pounds,
and another who weighs 300 pounds, were
both sent skyward Colonel Hatch begged
off from the bucks on account of his age,
1t, Il
tossed his chunky body through the air as
though they were playing football with the
head of moose. Every one took the sport
goodnaturedly.
The store people set up the cigars, and
every buck, squaw and papoose were puff
fling at pipe, cigars or cigarette, little tots
not four years old and squaws at least a
hundred among the number. The minis
ter told me that himself and wife gave the
Indians forty gallons of tea and three hun
bred cakes New Years morning. In the
evening the Indians had a dance. They
danced what they call the Russian dance, a
sort of hoe-down, quadrilles and war
dance; they danced to the music of violin
ir the hands of an Indian named John
Reese. Football, tug-of-war, foot races,
and snow shoe races were included in the
days sport.
January 6th.-Our cabin is called the
"House of Refuge" DIR. Steel amputated
Richard Lehman's toes here on Monday.
Mr. Wall, artist and correspondent for
the San Francisco Call and the New York
World, took photos of our cabin inside and
OUT he caught me on the outside in n.y.
shirtsleeves, Yukon whiskers and cap.
My bunkmate is washing today; tomorrow
is my turn; soap is scarce article; have
piece about the size Of hickory nut.
A Cold Day
| January 15.-This morning the ther-
mometer registered S. degrees below zero
! it is not safe to be out of doors but few
minutes at a time. 1t is comfortable in
our cabin: our beds are made from poles
covered with spruce boughs, feathers,
straw, three blankets, and three double
blankets to cover us. A great many have
gone out prospecting, some to Minook
some on Beaver, and others to Fish creek
The doctor says l have muscular rheu
matism; 1 cannot close my fingers, and
my hands pain me a great deal. / made
some doughnuts yesterday, which the
"boys" pronounced fine. I also made fif.
teen loaves of yeast bread; 1t took me all
day, from a. m. to p. M. to bake 1t, hav'