Connecticut western news., 1902-05-08
ALASkA'S DIANS.


 mons' Views on the Purpose Of
 Poor Lo.
 Mr Editor:
 Thinking few facts about the Alaska Indians, as I saw them, would interest the readers of the Neps I write this. The coming of the white man is great benefit to them which gives them em- ployment in various ways-jacking. sleding and boating for the miners; in catching fish for the salmon canneries of which there are many earning from 25 to 100 dollars per month which they spend in a royal manner, as nothing is too good for them, and they like every thing the white man likes and they get it while the money lasts.
 Their principal food used to be sal mon, which they ate for breakfast, din- ner and supper seven days a week, a regular diet, and TOW it's their staple. They catch the salmon in summer and cure them by drying in the sun with a little. smoke for their winters supply. This food makes them strong and robust. In July they catch large quan- which measures about s inches in length by ! of an inch wide and about | inch thick, which is mostly oil. The Indians dig Q hole from 4 to feet deep l,,- c. lo ,skl Qo1 when they are partly decomposed they take them out and put them in @ canoe and heat stones, throwing them on the fish, which boils the oil out. and they use this oil in place of lard; also for sauce over their bread in place of but ter or syrup. Each family lay by 8 store of this staple for the season. They use SO much of this Honligon oil and they smell SO strong of it you gen erally know if they are in the neighbor- hood. Some of them however are nice and clean. They also dry large num- bers of honligon and use in place of candles which is lighted by standing the fish on his head and lighting the tail which produces fairly good light, and 1t Is sometim 8 called the candle fish as it is used in place of a candle When klutoh rndisu womsp) wants . light to darn by she takes a honligon and lights the tail aud there is your electric light.
 These Indians are certainly an in- teresting race. Those living near me and on the coast are small of statue, resembling the Japanese in general appearance. They are peacesble, oblig- ing and will treat you fairly. In morals they are equal to their white brother and adopt their ways; are re- ligously inclined. They have their old superstitions to contend with, but under right influences I think would make rapid strides in upright living. being natural, as nature made them, free from the pernicious hYpocritical ways that are so often met with among the whites and which makes it 30 hard for fthe minister to les oh and ls ad them to higher plane of living. out of and beyond their narrowness and bigotry for it's @ lamentable fact many of our young men and maidens of today and some perhaps older ones place too little value on the beautiful truths of the Book of Books. These children of u @ forests have not learned these black k arts ss yet and for their good we hope they never will On the contrary they readily accept the teaching of the Good Shepherd and seemingly are ready for His gentle leading. The In- side Indians, those living over the coast range, are called the Sticks or Stick Indians, They are larger race more like the Sioux or Apachees in size. They are also very pesceable and will ing to render the white man any need cd assistance and are more reliable than the coast Indians and wonder they are as good as they are, as Alaska has been for years an out of way place; what you might term place of refuge for outlaws, having met several men that came here for murder and some of them have lived here Is years under assumed names, and these desperate characters have mingled with and intermArried with the Indian and they have neces- sarily learned their vices.
 The law Is very strict about selling or giving an Indian any intoxica ting bever. age, but they like it and manage to ob tain it to more or less extent. Liqut I makes them very lsw)ess I know an Indian maiden who is really a pious woman but when whiskey gets into her stomach piety is sidetracked until the whiskey demon is cast ont, then she resumes her piety all right. This il ignorance they will outgrow. Several men have been sent to San Quinten. ar island near Seattle, for selling them liquor, and more ought to follow Sometimes Indians are sent there, and the mention of the Skookum House, as they call our penitentiary. (Skookum meaning strong in their language) il they get refractory, makes them meek enough.
 The Indian mother locks up hel daughters when they blossom into womanhood and keeps them shut uI durin the greater part of Q year in { place they call the "stink house." The girls are used nicely. but not allowed tt see any men of their tribes While ths Sweet Alfarettas" are confined in ths ''stink house" the business-like parents go bargaining for husband for then as they are able to give a clear title Then the buck that gives the highes pile of blankets gets the prize. They bother with no marriage ceremony, be cause the girl belongs to the highes bidder.
 I attended funeral few days agt of young klutch young woman) They observed a regular wake and dit their weeping at the funeral. At thu grave the coffin was opened, sE whicl time all that desired viewed the corpse She was dressed from hat to shoes ant rubbers. all new, being purchased fo the burial. II sold them the outfit as party has a store in my city house thi Winter.) She was all resdy--so sh, looked-for a journey. Her working notions lay by her sids-shears, needles pins. cloak. fan, gloves, extra changes of clothing, pocket book full of money new handkerchiefs. Several of silk) al her belongings. After all had looked at her the coffin was nailed up securel, and lowered into the rough box which was also nailed up and lowered into tn, grave very similar to our method