The Nome nugget., 1903-08-01

near Kalushion bay, last summer. In company with four other miners Will kins was in camp when some of the l ''deer men" living near called on them. On the natives departure some tools were missed, and Wilkins started after them. They saw him coming, and one of them unslung his rifle and blazed away, the ball whizzing uncomfortably near Wilkins head. The natives then fled.
 Last fall the natives at East Cape picked up boat that had drifted ashore, probably the property Of some prOspector of the American side who was caught in Il storm and drowned, as the boat contained u Yukon stove, pick, shovel, two axes and a coffee pot, the remainder of the outfit having doubt less be- n washed overheard. The boat was of the dory build, about 20 feet long, painted white outside and brown inside. She was strongly built, and in good condition when found.
 | Jones and Anderson, two American miners, claim to have found coal on a small island near Indian point. They also found graphite in large lodges.
 The lot of the reindeer herder of Si- beria is certainly not an enviable one. In fact, it would be difficult for the imagination to conceive of more lonely, desolate existence, attended with greater perils. On u thousand hills, in hilly country, may be seen as many herds of reindeer, and with each herd from two to four herders, according to the number Of deer. It is the duty of the herders to stay with their Hocks by nio ht and by day, rain or shine, in blizzards and snow storms, and under no circumstances to desert them. Otherwise, wild animals-ihe wolf particularly-w raise havoc among the deer and stampede and thus scatter them. The herders are usually young men. l have even seen mere children. from F to 15, out with the herds in the worst of blizzards, and how the little rascals stand it beats me. It gets so cold that the deer are often frozen to death, but the herders never.
 An eclipse of the sun occurred on this peninsula on March go at $50 p. m., and lasted about an hour.
 At this writing, if we may believe the superstitions of the natives, the ''devil" is raising particular h---l on this peninsula. Old people and children are ''muckieing" (dying), dogs ditto, food is scarce owing to the fact that there is no open water from which to catch seal, reindeer are being killed by hundreds on account of the fierce storms and minor catastrOphes too numerous to mention have occurred. All these calamities are thrown on the already Overburdened shoulders of the devil. These natives have an absolute and abiding faith in the devil as the pro- genitor of all misfortunes, but strange to say they have no conception of a supreme power for good, and their re- ligion'is simply based on fear of the evil one. Old Rainbow, a deer man, and one of the most intelligent natives here, was asked by one of the boys where he went when he "muckied. "Me no sabbee," said he. He was then told that there was "happy bunting ground" hereafter, and said, "How you know You been der?
 On q recent trip of some native trad CTS from Indian point to East Cape, they were joined at St. Nicholas by one of the Americans who also desired to go to the former place. Arriving at the summit of the first divide an old "medi. cine" woman began her incantations: the sledges, six Of them, were immedi- ately stopped, and the native men grabbed their rifles and ran to the edge of the hill up which they had just come. The American, thinking they had seen a fox, wolf or polar bear, also joined in the chase, and arrived j..'st as the na- tives had fired the first volley. Looking around he saw no visible sign of game and asked what they were shooting at. "The devil" solemnly exclaimed the natives. This performance was re- peated ou arrival at the summit of every hill or mountain on the entire trip. The wolves are fierce and danger. ous in this country. Near this station reindeer herder was attacked by them and badly bitten, narrowly escaping death.
 John W. Kelly, who was here in 1897 as agent of the t. S. government in purchasing reindeer, gave out many letters c; recommendation to natives, the following being 2 copy of one of them: "This will introduce the reader hereof to Johnny Boy. Johnny Boy was the guardian angel of Captain Hooper, of the U. s. revenue cutter Corwin, while he was searching for the lost Jeannette, St. Wollasten and vigilant. Anything he can't do, or try to do, it isn't worth while anyone else trying. Johnny Boy believes in free thought, free trade and free soup (and plenty of 1it). He Is . good thing and ought to be pushed along" Another letter given cI CvrN1th da