The Alaska prospector., 1902-06-19
THE CAVE JEWELLERS.
One of the most Interesting Alaska Tribe of Natives Dwell
 In Cliffs.

the fact that there are m Alaska a tribe of cliff or cave dwellerS. but such is inc ease.
 On Kings Island. south of CaIe Prince of Wales. is a village of the cave dwellcrs, numbering POO. This is one of the most remarkable settlements in America. The is land is great mass of basalt rock, about q mile in length. rising from the sea with perpendicular sides frm 700 to 1000 feet above the water. On the south side the wall is broken down by q ravine rising at an angle of 45 degrees, and is filled with broken rock. A great permanent snow bank fills the ra- vine from the bottom to the top of the mountain. On the west side of the snow is the village of Ouk- ivak, which consists of some 40 dwellings or underground houses, partly excavated in the side of the hill. and built mp with stone walls. Across the tops of these walls are large poles made from the drift wood that is caught floating around the island. Upon these are placed hides and grass. which are in turn covered with dirt. A low tunnel or dirt-covcred hallway, 10 to 15 feet long, leads direct under the center of the dwelling. This is so low that it is necessary to stoop and often creep in entering. At the end of the hall directly over head is hole about IS inches in diameter. This is the entrance to the dwelling above.
 Frequently in summer, these caves become too damp to live in. The people then erect summer house upon ssthe top of the winter one. The summer house consists of Walrus hides. stretched over Il wooden frame, making a ro"nl from 10 to 15 f.-, square. These sum mer houses are gnyel to rocks with rawhide ropes, to prevent them iron heinz blown off into the sea. The entrance is an oval hole in the walrus hide, about two feet above the floor. Outside of the door is narrow platform about two feet wide, leading back to the side of the hill. Some of these plat forms are from l5:to 20 feet above the roofs of the huts below them. Across the ravine from the village at the base of the perpendicular sides of the island is cave into the mouth of which the surf dashes and roars. At the back of the cave, is large bank of perpetual snow. This cave is the storehouse of the whole vill- age. Walrus and seal meat is stored away in rooms excavateds in the snow. As the temperature in the cave never rises above freezing point, meat so stored soon freezes solid and keeps indefinitely.
 It is very dangerous thing for one not accustomed to it, to land at this island, and much more difficult task to leave it. At the mouth of the cave where the break in the perpendicular wall occurs, the natives can land in their bi- aarkas through the surf. But in leaving the island it is a different matter. They cannot get through the surf which is nearly always rough. So the bidarka which they use is taken to one of the high bluffs and the parties wishing to disembark are seated in this skin boat clad in their camalinka's, a water proof coat that fits very tightly around the neck and then fastened over the hatch in the bi- darka, in which they sit, so as to make their boat almost water tight, and when all is ready four men pick up the boat and watching ttc.r onportunity theylcast it into tne sea on a great breaker as it reeds from the shore, and the men
 in the boat go padtlling away.
 They think nOthinp of dnino-tb;.