Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-22
ON THE ALASKAN COAST.
Observations OF Gov. Bradley While
ON the Wheeling.

Observations Of Gov. Bradley While
ON the wheeling.
Secretary Blirs today made public an in
teresting iettsr from Gov. John G. Bradley
Of Alaska, containing the observations
made by him while on his annual trip Of
inspection to the vaitouss points on the
coast aboard the United States ship Wheel
ing.
While passing up the Lynn canal the
governor says thu officers Of the snip saw
a piece OF wreckage which was afterward
ascertained to be part of the Inflated
steamer Clara Nevada, of whose crew or
passengers not one was left to tell the tale
Special attention, the executive says,
should be paid to vessels navigating the
Yukon, the traffic on which is SO large that
the tendency is to take great risks.
The Wheeling after leaving Dyea called
at the native village at the north Of Chi
cEagof Island. called Hoonah. Here one
of thu leading men of the village had been
accidentally killed by q child six years Of
age. The people never take account of ac-
cideEts, and the Hoonah natives held the
mother and her people responsible and de-
body Of 200 men, thoroughly armed, going
to a native village near killisnoo, at which
place the child's mother and her people be-
long,d, and compelling them to turn over
many blankets, trunks and money. The
governor admonished the natives ana told
them their old customs would not be ttler-
ated.
From this point the Wheeling proceeded
to Yakutat, whers, upon investigation. 1t
was found that nearly everything that had
been reported to the Navy Department re-
sarding the condition of affairs there was
correct.
The governor has considerable to say
about the practice of witchery, which
seems to exist to a considerable extent in
that part of the country. He tells of man
and two women who were bound and tied
for bewitching man. On the ninth DAY
the bound man was released, and as he
had had nothing to eat and but few
drinks of water he was in fearful physical
condition. The governor spent some time
ing the laws of the United States, told them
that in the future he would not deal lenient-
ly with those who practice wftchcraft. Cap
tain Sebree of the Wheeling had his men
practice with the guns of the vessel as
useful object lesson to the natives.
There were about a dozen miners at Yak
utat wanting to proceed to the head Of
Disenchantment bay. Thence they were to
cross over the glacier to the Olesek river,
where they intended to prospect and after
wards proceed to the White river and get
back to the ST. Elias range Of mountains
The Wheeling returned to Sitka. Her
great good to the natives. as they dreaded
gunboat more than anything else He
says he is convinced it is time to take the
natives vigorously in hand and break up
the witchcraft distilling of rum and manu-
featuring of beer and compel them to con-
form to our laws In all respects. The native
who commits murder or any crime on
another native does not escape with the
out to him. but is held accountable also
under the tribal custom. The executive
concludes by saying that if backed up by
the good will and force of the Navy De-
| correct existing conditions during his term
of Office.