The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-13

was saying, as the atmosphere seemed
rather sulphurous!
ALBEMI SOUND.
Tuesday morning we awoke in the serene
waters of Albemi sound and a merry fam
lily assembled for breakfast. Among the
party were two of the owners of the Yuka
mine, which was our destination. in Quat-
sine sound; couple of Englishmen taking
the trip for pleasure; a Landown with the
modest sum of 12.OOo pounds a year, going
to Cape Cook for shooting and fishing,
besides several surveyors and prospectors,
with the usual sprinkling of local travel
ers. This has not become a fashionable
pleasure trip for several reasons-the boats
only run once month, there are no hotels
or convenient places to stay and few peo-
pie know anything of the magnitude or
beauty OF the great island that lies almost
at our doors, unexceled in mineral wealth
and a mecca for the sportsman. it matters
not what he cares to shoot. Our first stop
in Albemi was Ncluet, an extensive Indian
village with goodsized store kept by a
white man. There was a large lumber
schooner on the beach that had recently
been towed i'm from the sea. where she
had turned turtle and drowned all on
scattered along the coast. This village or
''rancherie'' is situated only far enough In
to avoid some of the rough ocean weather.
and on a clam bed-as they all are. The
houses, built of wood, are some of them
immense. measuring sixty or eighty feet
across, and many of them having windows
put in hit or miss. of all sizes and shapes.
This village had a particular craze for
windows. but in a great many of the ranch
cries neither the small large houses had
any windows, are very dark inside and
have the feeling of vault tunnel.
None OF the houses have partitions or
floors, though We did see one floor in the
house of a high tyee farther up the
island. They build their fires on the
ground in the center and let the smoke rise
and find its way out through the chnks in
the roof. Passing a village when the in
habtants are cooking supper, one would
think the whole town on fire. One curious
thing we found in every village, platform
built in the center, partially out over the
water. railing running all around IL and
boards laid against this to lean back upon.
The Indians assemble on these platforms
in the morning. squat around in a square
and gossip. They are the biggest gossips
i'm the world, but unlike civilized scandal
mongers, do their talking before each
other, everybody present People always
wondered why news travels so fast in the
forests and when there are so few people
save Indians, but l fancy this gossiping is
responsible for 1t. After leaving Ncluet,
we covered a very bad stretch of coast,
the steamer trying very hard to spill every
thing out. One of the men came plunging
into the salon, reeled about and anchored
on the table, upsetting everything thereon.
Some one said it was unusual conduct and
asked him why he had such an Intoxicated
air. but his only reply was a look of stony
indignation. Most of us sought the safety
of our hunks all during this day and even
rocked in the cradle of the deep.
HINT OF CIVILIZATION.
Late in the afternoon we dropped anchor
inside again at Clayoquot, where there
is an English store, postoffice aud min
ing recorders Office on one side of the bay;
huge Indian rancherie on another side.
with houses painted in most fantastic COL
ors and totem poles in abundance. On the
third some Cinnamon have store and gar
den, quite rivalry of nations. This is one
of the few places where the Indians have
their houses pIlHteus out the style Oh dTcIll-
lecture never varies 1t is quite wonder
full how they raise the immense crossbeams
that support their houses-they are all
Clipped out with primitive little instru-
ment answering to an adze. and must take
a vast expenditure of labor. Some of the
''tlootehmen or squaws" came out with
baskets and mats for sale at an astonish-
ingly low price-they have not yet been
spoiled BY tourists i'm this part of the
country. There are several interesting
graves about here. one marked with a
huge OF window panes and flying a
large white flag. Many are buried i'm tents
or tiny houses decorated with paintings of
animals. all emblematic in some way An
animal used great deal in painting and
carving on their "totems' is the raven as
they believe it brought the first fire to the
Indians on the coast. The walrus is used,