The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-22
FOOD RESOURCES or ALASKA.
How the Natives Lived before White
Men went There.

wen W thA thfTts
From the Seattle Post-Intellgencer
With the prospect of another rush to
the frozen North in consequence OF the
reported gold discoveries at CTpe Nome
on the bleak and barren shore of Norton
sound, comes renewed interest in the food
question in Alaska. No man in Seattle,
or, indeed. in the United States. proba-
bly,, has devoted more attention to this
subject than Dr. j. p. Sweeney of this
city
When, In 1897, the rush TO the klondike
began, Dr. Sweeney began collecting In
formation regarding the foods suitable TO
sustain human life in the sub-Arcuc re-
gions Coming 10 contact, as he did. with
numerous gold seekers on their way TO
the North, he had abundant opportunity
10 make inquiries of them concerning their
food supplies and later of talking over
with returning KlondilSers and pioneers
of the Yukon country the food question,
then of greatest interest on account OF
the threatened famine IN the Yukon.
one of the pioneer gold seekers DR..
Sweeney was fortunate in meeting was
George w Carmack, the discoverer OF the
X londikc, and from him he gathered much
interesting information concerning the
habits of the Indian tribes on the Yukon
and the white men who long before the
discovery of the treasure hidden beneath
the frozen moss ana gravel Of the klon-
dixie valley lived with them and shared
the hardships Of their daily life.
Some Of the things that Carmack told
me" said Dr. Sweeney yesterday were
entirely new to me, ana all very interest
ing. one of the things / have always been
anxious to know was how the white men
lived who hunted and trapped along the
Yukon in the days when il was thousands
OF miles to the trading posts and civiliza-
ton. Carmack explained to me.
"'We were compelled he said. TO do
Just as the Indians did. In the summer
time, besides game ana fish, we ate ber
ries, for Alaska is the home Of all sorts
of berries And besides these We obtained
other substitutes for the vegetables Of
civilization. The principal Of these were
grass roots, certain small bulbs or tubers
and the inside bark Of various trees.
" In the winter we ate FISH, meat and
berries which the squaWs dried in the
summer and stored away. Then also the
little bulbs ! have mentioned came 10
very handily. / have forgotten now what
they were called, but they as all old Alas
ka men know, form the principal food Of
the winter.
It was by rihing the boards of these
little animals that we obtained our sup
boards are always to be found in soli-
tary spruce tree In thicket Of stunted
pines. That was the way in which we
located them. The reason for this / new
er knew.
As a substitute for bread-of course,
the Indians then had no hour--we ate a
species of pudding made Of the blood Of
the game we killed, boiled with dried ber-
ries and sometimes with the little bulbs
from the squirrel boards
II asked Carmack how the Indians in
those days obtained salt for their meat.
Every one knows that, to a white man
at least, salt is a necessity ana not a
mere havorng matter. In answer Car
mack told me something that was entire
ly new to me. He said hat the Indians
made il a practice not 20 throw away the
water in which they boiled their meat
but allowed it to remain IN the kettle. In
| the course of a short time, he tod me
the water or broth would become extreme
| ly salty. and could then be maintained at
| whatever degree Of salineness was deem
| ed desirable by the addition Of fresh wa
| ter to replace some of the salt broth dip
| ped out and thrown away.
"A little thought will make it plain that
| Carmack's story Is perfectly plausible.
| The blood contains small quantities Of
salts, among them the salt we call com
mon salt, chloride Of sodium BY eVapor-
alton these salts were concentrated until
they became sufficiently plentiful 10 flaw
or the meat boiled In the solution, and
| then the desired end was attained.
| of course, the practice of leaving the
| same water in the meat kettle for days
| would not appeal 10 a white man on the
| ground Of cleanliness Still. If one had
| no salt the Indian plan would not be one
| to scorn. / would recommend any one
| who intends going into uncivilized coun-
| tries TO bear the process IN mind. IL
| might prove valuable Ia case Of emer-
| gency
| Another novel practice OF the Indians
| related 10 me by CaImeck was their plan
| of boiling meat without a kettle. il was
| their custom, he said, when without a
| proper vessel for cooking TO take the
| stomach Of the anlmal kil.ed-dCer. moose
| or bear VIVA lever II might be-and divld-
ing it into halves, sink one Of the halves