The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03

storm whom the Indian police wero not looking
for trouble He broke of a piece Of the glsteninl
white quartz and on tho inner side found trace,
Of gold-freo gold that could DO saved with
rocker II he hammered up the soft quartz Hi
group was TO be another Treadwell and he called
it the Hope Of Death" Young Porter also knew
Of n fine ledge and was in full possession befor,
| nightfalL
In the meantime Thompsons letter the dooi
Of his Kotchikan cabin had fallen into other hands
| The absence Of the we'll known trio was noticed
and soon the nows Of Duncan's death was over
tho whole camp. Other sloops were hastily pro
! yisioned and other parties started for Annette. A
steam launch from Juneau soon overlook them
| for Capt Bonnifeld had forgotten 70 keep Dun
| cans death secret Within twenty four hours
| hundreds Of miners were stampeding toward the
| Indian island Such q stampede had never been
| known before. The news spread as rapidly as
though the Indians themselves had telegraphed
IL by signal fires on tho heiehts The miners
scattered TO all parts Of the island and 1t was not
long until an Indian hunter ran across them
He made good tmo getting back TO Father Dun
cans house
The Missionary had been sick but was now
feeling better than he had for weeks This sick
ness had undoubtedly started tho story Of his
death News that his beloved island was again
invaded reused him 10 immediate energy and
all the police in tho community wero called in.
Recruits volunteered for tho work Of driving out
the miners and arms were freely distributed.
One by one the miners were rounded up and es-
cortod TO their boats and started for home There
was no trouble onoe they convinced that Faith
CT Duncan was still alive They knew he had
tho law on his side and that he stood vigorously
for his rights
Thompson laughed at the three policemen
who found him comfortable encamped on his
free gold ledge He told them Father Duncan
was dead and with him passed away the Indians
right to sole possession of Annette They finally
convinced him that his sure thing tip" had been
bad one and much against his will compelled
him to leave. He went back to Ketchikan as
did the others and Is probably there now waiting
for another excuse TO stampede to Annette
Mctlahkatlah is slightly out Of the track Of
tourist steamers but 1t is we'll worth a visit Your
correspondent happened to be on a steamer that
took north load Of supplies for the Indian store
and was enabled to spend tho better part of tho
day in tho town. IS well as TO hear from Father
Duncan own lips the story OF his work among
the Indians
From tho ship deck ono would never think that
the people moving busily about the we'll improved
streets were all Indians and least Of all Indians
whose fathers had eaten human flesh The town
lies back from substantial wharf nearly half a
mile. Tho settlement is pleasantly placed in a
little valley among tho hills and Is surrounded
by heavy forest Many we'll built houses shelter
the 1,2oo Indian inhabitants. The finest church
in all Alaska has a prominent position 1t is
undemoninational and has tho unqualified sup
port Of the entire cotomunity
Several industries-all operated on the co opera
tive plan-give evidence Of q prosperous condition.
A salmon cannery on tho beach turns out many
cases OF fine fish every season that find ready
sale in the East sawmill is operated by hy-
draulic power obtained from mountain lake three
miles away. About the only successful brick
yard in Alaska is located on the outskirts of the
village. Restaurants photograph galleries shoe
shops. general stores, music rooms etc arc all
operated by Indians There is lacking only ono
familiar feature Of a city in tho states There Is
not a saloon in Metlahkatlah You cannot buy
a drink on tho island The natives will not even
accept treat
In largo white house Father Duncan Is wait
ing for the messenger that will call him homo
He expects death at any timo and has already
appointed his successor. Tho nnmo OF the man
who will probably follow up Duncans plans
has not yet boon mado known II will probably
be an Indian and there arc several In the settle
mcnt who seem fitted for tho task
Father Duncan likes to tell the story Of tho won
derful reformation Of tho Port Simpson Indians
Slightly condensed but still In his own words
it follows.
Forty years ago a lay member Of tho Church
Of England. inspired by religious zeal, estab-
lished a mission for tho natives Port Simp-
son. British Columbia l know nothing Of their
language and only acquired It with tho utmost
difficulty. Tho natives wero considered the
mostworst Of all the tribes on tho coast They
were sadly in need of reformation / secured
permission from tho British Government TO have
protection from tho soldiers at Fort Simpson DO
fore venturing among them.
Il did not have a full realization Of the task
that was before men until witnessed one OF the
tribes cannibal feasts 1t was in plain view
of the Fort, but We dared not fire a shot or even
enter protest so poorly were We fortified and
so greatly did they outnumber us
After thoroughly mastering their language
left the fort and took up my abode with tho In
dams. 1 afterwards had the pleasure of con-
verting ono Of the two men who figured promi-
nently in the sacrifice After Ave years pre-
liminary work tho village Of Old Metahkauah
established
The chief opposed my work and often I WAS
sadly discouraged l saw finally that II was
useless TO try 10 accomplish anything unless
tribal relations could be broken. Belief in witch
craft was fostered and filth and degradation en-
couraged as long the Indians continued to
live in community houses. II was hard work
to induce them TO live In separate houses with
the family as a unit but IL was finally accom-
p,ishcd.
"Old Meuahkatah grow until 800 natives be-
longcd to tho prosperous self supporting and
law abiding community. For twenty -hve years
tho settlement hourished Then the British
Government seeing q source OF profit in our trade,
persecution began. Tho Indians woro arrest
ed and fined on the slightest prete1t and were
taken 70 Victoria and Vancouver for trial Tho
bishops Of the Church Of England also insisted
on assuming and exercising an authority for
which the Indians were not prepared. Another
source OF trouble the whiskey smugRers
who for years piled profitable trade between
Fort Simpson and Alaskan ports They OBJ
iected to the prohibitory restraint exercised by
the Indians. At last life under tho British flag
became unbearable
IN 1887 called council OF my people and
determined TO locate on United States soil A
committee selected Annette Island From tho
United States Government secured iurisdc-
ton over it with the powers of United States
marshal
Tho migration occurred In tho fall OF that