The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-12-19
Weekly Courier.
9. DoASE. PsslisAer.
SA0rAA INDIANA.
ODD FAIRS IN ALASKA.
Ssssses Travel nsndsvds ~ Miles 20
The GATHERINGS Where They
AIR Their Deeds.

k0n 50 that boats can safely navigate
the stream the nafNes begin their ,iI-
grimage Ia he nearest point where
me annual festivities are To be held
Many ~ them travel 500 miles 10 IN
JOY tie gossip ~ their country men and
the pleas rre. which are 10 be found in
tie annual sncampment. There are
TOUR places along the Yukon and near
the arctic circle where these fairs are
helL-FCrt Yukon. Tanana. kokrine
Station and Nulata, says The New York
Iiiaes.
one 81 the most interesting features
Of these annual street fairs consists If
speeches made by the influential men
When one Of these steps out into the
middle Of the camp and begins n Out
ing every one ceases talking. They do
not gather around the speaker. but
remain silent where they are whsn he
first attracts their attention.
Some ~ these harangues tor they
are really nothing more) relate the
important events Of the last year.
Some go further back. and dwell upon
ancient history" Some are eulogies
IF those who have passed into the
spirit world during the last II months,
and then the eulogy becomes a text for
a discourse TO incite the natives 10 a
better life.
III there has been any trouble among
the natives. either between villages or
Individuals. these supposed heathens
uf the PARKWAY icebound regions Of
The north deal with the questions mer-
cilessly- The speaker ADVISES each
party what 70 do and gives his decision
as to the manner in which the diff
suity must be settled.
This street fair Of the arctic circle.
notwithstanding is gala and business
appearance. j. really a grand clearing
house day III the year. when mems con-
sciences are touched and their deeds.
evil or good. brought into public view
Think ~ il. travelling 500 miles down
frozen river banks TO have your sins
laid open. not only before you. but
before the assembled tribe. for har-
drecs II miles around. n j. a sort
Of confession on Wholesale scale
with the confession left out. lie
speaker has no need Of that. lie
know. what >o-and-~o'' has cone. and
he tells it plainly and ~ tones that he
whole camp can hear
II remember says \. A. Selden, ~
Omaha. who has recently returned
from the kloncike. lone Young nan
who aspireC to become Chief He
had been married only year and hsd
not lived peaceably with his wife.
When the annual assembly a, Tarana
was held an old man arose cue day and
.eld that young man up a. an example
for the Others shun. All hi, SHIRT
comingS and mi~doings we're related ~
tones which reached the fartheSt lei-
ferer on the outs kris ~ the camp.
Then the aged Indian urgesathe .olsr I.
man 10 do better BY his wife and the
discourse ended
At had a good effect. The suhitci ~
the harangue went home 10 hir v re
and behaved himself. \ young ra-
with aspirations TO become chitt
does not care - be 'harangneC' az tie
annual gathering. and If he j. he sell
dom fails to mend his way-. II ie
did not his political wires would al!
he down :"
But. on the other hand. IL man ha>
r,ore a meritoriouS act il also i Trc-
claimsd-no, from the housetops. but
in voice which penetrateS all the
tents And usually in this case tie
.haranruer- is The actor himself
There is no false mocesty amrrg
the natives of Alaska. When a man
bad form for him to tel II 1t. 1t j.
q part Of his duty 10 relate for the
edification Of Others the full cirruri-
stances at this gathering. which j. the
only chance for gossip and from
which news will be disseminated half
a thousand miles away ard his exam
pie affords food for talk" for the next
IL months. II which half. or nearly
half. will be spent by the light ~ he
walrrs-ais lamp.
So II n native has rescued a white
man from the ice fields Of the north in
the regions Of semiyearly night and
day. he tells If IL. He relates MI tie
thrilling Incidents connected with the
finding II the dying man. the carr, x
90 the hut. the care given him. hoss lie
recovered and nj last how he had been
brought down with them in the sprir.
20 the white mans fort to be cared tur
Here says Mr.. SeIden. II should
say that the natives never expect any
pay for these reScues. When they Iird
hunter frozen and destitute they
take him 10 their homes. nurse him.
give him the best they have. and. II he
Is in rags. divide their own clothing
with him. And all without expectation
Of recompense. When spring comes
and lo0sens the ice in the rivers they
take him down to the nearest settle
ment and turn him over to the white
men TO be- cared for"
~ Place ear = Lazy Cns.
In the wine cellars III Limshor iu
london are =, mics If lanes. lined On
each side by huge casks of wine They
are a paradise for rats and the only
way in which the pests are kept with
in reasonable limits a. to numbers Is