Douglas Island news., 1900-12-12
ADOUBLE-HEADER. A
OUR KILLIsNoo CORRESPONDENT WRITES
 ENTERTkNINGLY ON VARIOUS TOPICS.

ENTERTkININGLY ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
 News is getting scarce in Killisnoo. The fishing has stopped and the facto- " where they manufacture fish oil and guano in such quantities, has closed, and on the steamer Cottage City, which arrived today most of the white men who were employed there will return to the Sound. From now until May the village will be very quiet. Many of the Indians who live here will take their families and go to the woods some few miles away to cut wood for the factory and store for next years use. Coal is so high in Alaska that they use wood on all their boats, and also in the cooper machine and carpenter shops. To live in the woods in a tent for three months during an Alaska winter should think would be worth more than S2,50per cord of wood. That is what they receive.
 We had treat the other day in the way of seeing a fine two-mast brig from the Hawaiian islands. She came to San Francisco loaded with sugar, discharg- ed her cargo, loaded again with coal, sailed for Sitka, left it for the marines; from there came to XilIisnoo and took between eight and nine hundred tons of guauo back to Hawaii with her. Her crew was composed of 13 men (the un- lucky nun ber) captain, three mates, six sailors, one cook, cabin boy and rous- tabout, I believe they call the man who does a little of everything. The cap tain was very good christian, so Faith CT SobaIeff told me; allowing no work done on the Lords day; no profanity among his men. I was very glad to hear that, for so many captains are very profane themselves, and of course you must expect to find it among their crews. It always was a query to me why men who are always in such dang CT of being called into eternity at any moment should be so indifferent re- garding their future life. For it is a painful fact, sailors, from captain down, are as a rule far from being christians. They having to work seven days in the week, not often getting an opportunity to attend church, or in any way get spiritual food, may have something to do with it. The soul requires feeding as we'll as the body. 1 speak from ex- perience regaI ding spiritual food. One of the greatest trials have had the year and half have lived in Alaska was being deprived of attending services on the Lords day, iu His house. We have our bible and take several religious pa pers with splendid sermons in them and other good reading. But that is not like going to church and worship ping with Gods children. But we do the best we can under the circumstan- ees and trust we won't always have to live in an Indian village.
 Father SobaleR has opened bis school for the winter. But it is very discour- aging work here. If it Is a cold or rainy day the children want some place to keep warm, and be ewill have twenty y-five or thirty scholars. If it is a little pleasant, so they can play out of doors, he will have five or ten. Of course the children can't learn much in this man. ner, and he don't get any credit for bis labor. But he does his duty by them and that is all be can do. Missionaries have a great deal of work to do that seems to them to be of little use. But they must do their duty and leave re. suits with God.
 MRS, CHAS. VAN HUEBNER.
 Killisnoo. Nov. 18th. 1900.