The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-27
SAINT LAWRENCE INDIANS.
STILL yaTsLY AWAIT THEIR BENE-
tACIOKs' HEIIRN.
Mr.. and Mrs. GambeiI, Vino Were
Lost on the Jane Gray-Ihefr No.
nIe work-Kaising the istnna
sn.ure. to Higher Lille.

The Indians OF the bleak little island
OF -. Lawrence. Away ~ aoTtn in Be-
sag sea. are watching and waiting In vain
ear ne return % Mr.. and MFs. '. G Gam
bel. the Presbytsrlaa missionaries VINO
were lost In taa; sad tragedy of the se@.
ths .ou.eer4ng Of The Inflated Jane Gay.
The CaEabeila id IEoge fog the Stand al
A.ans than al the other missionaries that
were ever taere. Wiaen they left IL come
souta On account OF Mrs. GanabsA 5 health
many promises were given for their re-
turn at the carries, possible time--pFofa-
isee they were trying 10 keep when she
cruel hand o. the sea knocked in the bot
tom Of tas Jane Gray, ninety miles OF
the rocky Vancouver island shore.
Mrs. Gambell was especially loved By
the ignorant Iaalan women living on ST.
Iawrence island ana they wept bitterly.
It is said. when she had 10 leave hem al
ter spending Two years among taein. She
was supported Ia her work by the Wo-
mems Board u Home Missions VI the
Presbyt.ria church. II IS from her re-
ports 10 tne home missionary board that
many o; the details ~ their work have
been learned. Her reports gave the ~o-
nsen iG.e as III the Work thAt they mad neve.
had before.
Hes child. Who also was lost with the
Jane Gray, was born on che Island. Last
year just before navigation closed IL vas
found necessary for her 20 return home
for fgical treatment This meant an
absence for 81 least "A year as boats only
touch a the island once IN twelve
months. the whole population turned out
To bid them good-by when the reyenae
cutter arrived,
They were tie only white people on the
Island. 3 bich Is within thirty-fiVe miles Of
the Siberian coast. One Of the first
reforms Instituted by Mr.. aad Mr.. Gam
bell was IN the habitagi0ns Of ne indi-
ans. They formerly lived In holes In the
ground but now nearly all hAye round
houses made OF driftwood and portions or
wrecks that have been east up on It's rock
bound shores. There * no timber the
island but Mr. Gambell found vein Of
coal on the surface and the Indians now
have the comfort Of coal fires. The doors
Of their houses are very small. the people
craving through them all tours The
door always faces toward the west. The
little huis partisioned With deer skin.
Clay lamps are made ana walrus oil fur
nishes light. Mrs. Gafnbell had started
school among the native children and had
about sixty pupils In Attendance when she
left.
Murder Meant ia Kindness.
Mrs. Gambeil wassan entertaining salker
and told of many of the strange customs
OF the Indians while there One Of her
stories relates 10 the custom OF killing
usually by hangng-of all the women OF
the tribe after they reach a certain age.
out family affection or that they are bar
barcus. that they follow tnis custom ac-
cordlng 10 Mrs. Gambe!l. On the contrary
family affection is very strong and they
consider the killing an act OF kindness.
When woman becomes old ard HOPELESS
she says 10 her family that she Is too old
10 be OF use any mora. that she has no
teeth ia eat seal meat and that she had
better be killed and taken TO the noun
tain. No action is ever taken unless the
woman requests II. The comand is car
fed out without question but thero is no
cruelty.
The burial ~ the women IL also inter-
estins. II the decreased hns been pronsa-
ent In the community er has done any
great good Il is customary 10 take her
body AT death 10 the top of the mountain
III In life she has been Il good average
woman her body Is taken half way mp
" OF no particular good the body il taken
but 70 the foot % the mountain Tina
clothing Is removed ana scattered about
Bread soap aud bills OF tobacco are then
placed Al the denuded nody.