The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-10

the animal heat Of their own bodies.
In each barrabara recessed shelf is
dug In the side of the wall with small
hole above 1t. On this shelf IN built the
fire used for cooking. and when there Is
no fire the hole Is covered with sea, gut.
This serves the double purpose Of CHM
ney and skylight. The filth Of the barra-
baras Is loathsome beyond description, and
the odor disgusting and nauseous.
~ ~ N
Dr1 HE Attu people belong to the Greek
church. The chief Of the tribe con-
ducts the services. for they have no
priest. The church Is built of driftwood
and matched, Il Ia about forty feet
long by twenty feet wide, The
people have no seats In the church and
worship standing. The church was the
only place that received any attention. 1t
was relief to find something among
them neat. even though It was not up to
the American standard.
The boats used by these natives are made
OF the skins of hair scala or sea lions. The
skins are stretched over a light frame and
sewad with sinew. The bidarka-for that
IL the name Of the frail craft--has its top
occupant. 1t is from Is to 20 feet In length,
and will carry one or two people, or one
for each hatch. To the frame around the
hole the occupant ties the lower end Of
seal gut shirt, which has hood and fits
closely around the neck and wrists and 10
waterproof. The name Of this shirt is kam-
alyka; 1t serves to keep the water out Of
tho boat and the occupant dry.
An Aleut will make trips to sea in a
hidarka and occasionally 80 thousand
miles in one, padding from one island to
another. They use the bidarka for SEA OF
ter hunting. or did in former days. for the
sea otter is fast becoming extinct. A hi
darka resembles racing shell. and does
rot weigh more than 40 pounds.
The chief of the tribe told me tradi-
ton of Attu that has been handed down
for many generations. He said: THE in
habitants Of Attu were once q warlike peo-
pie; the Atka people were their most
hated enemies. The natives Of both Is
lands were brave and daring. Fortune ia
vored first one side. then the other Long
time ago the Atka people In large num-
bers came over in their bidsrras Qarge
open skin boats. to carry ten tons, not
much used now. and killed all the Attu
people but one woman, whom they left
alone, and returned to Atka to celebrate
their victory. This woman lived alone for
three years. when some people came a
thousand miles in bidarras from Unimak is
land. One Of the men married the woman.
Attu was repeopled. The present inhabit-
ants of Attu are descendants of this
union.''
- n ~
WIT ARRIAGE is one of the most diff
M\\ cult problems the Attu islanders
have in the present day. The ma
tiyes are all relatives. According to the
doctrines of the Greek church, as Phil
aret." the chief of the tribe, puts It: ISIS
tiers cannot marry. and we are all con-
sidered as sisters and brothers; hence.
marriage is next to impossible with US.
The priest selects husbands and wives for
us from Atka, and the marriage ceremony
il performed as soon as the selected cou-
pie meets. Since the trading station has
been left. It is almost impossible to get
husbands and wives for our people,"
In the early fall and spring wild geese
fly to Attu on their way north or south as
the seasons approach. The geese breed on
some of the surrounding islands, but can
not raise young on Attn on account of the
foxes. Elder ducks are to be found on
Attu. and the natives collect small quanti-
ties of the down. The ducks pick the
down from their own bodies to build nests,
and the down is gathered by robbing the
nests. 1t has to be cleaned for the mar
Sst.
asked the chief II they ever used foxes
for food. He replied: mo. A Japanese
schooner was wrecked once on Attu. the
bodies of the drowned sailors drifted on
the beach and were eaten by the foxes
Since that time Attu people will not eat
foxes"
These people do not care for money. and
would not take 1t in exchange for their
baskets, which were very handsome. Some
baskets We're SO closely woven that they
would hold water. The decorations were
neat and symmetrical. They would take
food and clothing in exchange, and were
quite fond OF bartering,
Attu is mountainous; the valleys are COW
cred with heavy growth of grass and
wild flowers. The seasons are short, but
1t Is astonishing that such vegetation will
grow In the limited time. There are plants
which the natives use for food Some are
cooked like vegetables, others are eaten
raw. They claimed to have plants that
taste like coffee, tea. rice. potatoes, tobac-
co and peas.
Many of the inhabitants of Attu were
sick and in need of medical attention. It
was indeed pitiable to think of subjects Of
the United States sick and dying for at
tention, half-clothed, with scarcely a thing
to eat. and starvation staring them In the
face.
These people are quiet and peaceable.
Few of them have been away from Attu
except to the neighboring islands In their
bidarkas. The chief was In Greek mis-
sion school at Unalaska for one year. He
could write a little Russian and speak q
little English. One other man had been
to San Francisco on a sealing schooner.
and was considered an authority on travel
ing.
When the Russians discovered Alaska