The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-08
4 SCHOOL FOR EXPLORERS
TEACHING ART OF INVESTIGATING
THE ABORIGINAL AMERICAN.
Ina Indians-ssratagems Employ
ed 10 Induce the Red Man 70 CO.
operate with Hts seientinc Friend

A second great exploring expedition has
bene sent out recently from the New York
Academy OF Natural History for the pur-
pose Of determining. II possible. the origin
OF the American Indian. This year the ef-
fort will be more earnest than ever. for
the researches OF hst year have convinced
the projectors of the enterprise that the
evidence must be obtained now or never,
az the traces OF the aborigine on our
northwest coast are rapidly disappearing,
and in very few years more will be
gone altogether. Then the much-dis-
cussed question will remain forever IN
answered.
On the other side OF the Pacific the en-
terprise of the Russians is destroying the
primitive conditions which have existed
heretofore, and soon the value Of that
field also will be obliterated There have
been sent TO the Asiatic coas, this year
men with a special knowledge OF Russian
ana It's dialects. and Of the languages OF
the scattered tribes which inhabit the
eastern shore OF the continent. The ex-
plorers who went last year TO British Co
iunb.a will continue their operations in
the same field. and the results thus OBJ
tanned by the explorers on two sides Of the
Pacific will be infinitely compared. with a
view TO tracing resemblance between the
ancient Inhabitants of both coasts.
A school for Explorers.
The most interesting feature OF the ex-
petition lies in the curious preparations
which have been made for II. Several OF
the men sent to Asia had never explored
before. and had to go through a course Of
instruction before they could ba trusted to
do the work. The men were taught at
the museum how TO approach the natives:
how to get on the right side of the chiefs
or head men Of the villages; how to per-
suade them to allow their bones to be
measured. or to have plaster casts made
OF their faces and heads; how to dig in
mounds for evidences Of prehistoric life.
and, in short, all that scientific explorer
should know In starting on an expedition
Of this kind. The making Of plaster casts
and the taking of measurements are me-
chanicai operations. which can be taught
very readily in the museum by means OF
models. The less material operations.
such as moral suasion," OF the savage.
had to be indicated rather than described.
as no book of Instructions could be writ
ten very well on the subject. The veteran
explorers OF the museum simply sat down
and told stories OF the curious articles
they had resorted to In accomplishing
their purposes on previous expeditions.
ArousinG the Indian Curiosity.
'For instance" said one, when l ar
rived among the natives Of the Aleutian
Islands was an object Of great curiosity.
l landed on an old wharf with several
trunk loads Of baggage. and without any
idea Of where was to find shelter. The
Indians. except In the salmon season. have
little TO do, and / was as much Of curl
osity as would be meteorite IL !, should
happen 10 fall into Broadway. They jab-
bered together and gathered around me,
looking at every iron band and corner OF
the boxes minutely. az though a trunk
was something quite out of the ordinary;
although 1t couldn't have been so 20 them.
for they all get into British Columbia dur
ing the season. / had heard they were
honest enough. however. so I proceeded
to whet the edge OF their curiosity by
opening the trunks and letting them finger
what they saw inside. l am not aware
that they stole anything. but IL they did
1t was we'll spent, for the news OF my ar
rival and the curious things had brought
with me spread far and vide.
II began by showing them pictures of
the museum and pictures OF their friends
and relations which had been secured on
previous trips. One picture OF man who
was IN the crowd, which l had ny acct
Dent affected him much as might mirror
he'd In front of cat. He backed away,
holding Ii a arms length. wearing on his
face a peculiar expression of perpiexity
which was very laughable Probably the
man who snapped the camera had not
shown him the result of the exposure, and
this was the first time he had seen the
picture. When the rest had also exam
ined Il proceeded TO show then. how Il
was done / erected the camera on It's
tripod and indicated by agns AID jargon
what | wanted TO do. One OF Che men
| consented 20 stand and In photosra phed,
| but the lens. which 20 him WAS a great
eye. frightened him, and he drew eff with
| grunt of uncertainty.
Trying II or the Dog.
"A happy idea occurred to one OF the
men Every ran in these Northwest viii
| lagos owns several dogs. They axe saar!-
| Ing. good-for-no,hing ours. and the poor
| est man always owns the creates; num-
| her. Well. the man with the idea grabbed
| one OF the dogs by the back Of the neck
and held him at arms length. hovllng in
front Of the camera. snapped HIM in A
acmen; and let II 20 AZ that. although
had time exposure plate IN the box and
was afraid his squirmjHg ana kicking
would reduce him 70 a blur on the mega
tive. Later printed some pictures o. The
animal and handed tn. N around. think
he had about eight legs and several tails.
but his widc-open mouth was there an
right. a1i the general impression on the
tribe was good. One fellow however
pointed - The picture. harket Ike a dog
and said IN the curiouslv m.xed-up trade
jargon II ne coast. 'Wowwow. Where
~owwowF by which suppose he near;
where were the bowls ~ the animal which
he had 50 vigorously made when the pic
t1-c was be.Dg taken. He seemed - think
they were somewhere II the ca -nera box
ard looked siCn.Acartly a: Il. I had. new
ever. very NJtia trouble in getting pictures
after they had .~5ed 81 on the deg. They
are erea; enrgainers. and learn the value
- money very quickly II you crsr >
cents - one Tor The privilege 81 SWAPPING
his photo Won mus; give 70 ali, II YOU
B gFrN 900 Is a-f ~