The Nome nugget., 1903-08-01

mendation the native would proudly show to all the white men whom he met.
 The "money" of this country is the red fox skin. One of the Americans had one, for which he was offered four white skins. An evidence of wealth among the natives is the possession of wolverine skins, and they are highly prized and much sought after.
 Three natives of the Big Diomedes were killed in drunken rows during the winter. When the natives get full on bad whiskey, which they get from the whalers. it is just as well 10 be else where.
 Two natives, an old man and an old woman were hanged by their relatives recently, the former at East Cape and the latter at Whaling. To civilization this may seem a most cruel proceeding, but on the Pehukotsk peninsula it is simply in accordance with time-hon- ored custom. When an aged person becomes infirm and helpless, he heroi- call tells his relatives he is ready to die, and calmly chooses his mode of death. Some prefer the instrumental ity of rifle ball, but hanging is the more general method, and to facilitate matters, when an "igloo," or skin hut is built, little iron ring is hung from the roof in the center of the room, through which a rope may be passed when the occasion requires. In con- nection with the hanging of the old man. an almost incredible story is told On the day before his death his rela- tives secured for him new suit of fine deer skin clothes, spear, weapons, etc. On the morning of his death the ola fellow arrayed himself in his new suit and the sad ceremony was duly and solemnly gone through. The remains were taken to high hill in the near vicinity and there deposited on the ground, and beside him were lain the weapons he had used in life. Some days after one of the white men living at East Cape had occasion to call on one of the natives, and on the outside of the hut saw some tleshless bones ly- ing scattered by, among them what ap- peared to be the forearm and finger of human being. He asked what they were, and the native said that his dog "kowkow" food) being ''pow" (gone), he had chopped up and fed the re- mains of the old native to his dogs.
 A native resident of East Cape, who had been in jail at Nome all winter, came across the Straits on the ice on foot, arriving at his home about the middle of April. This settles beyond all doubt the much mooted question as to the safety of crossing the Straits in winter on the ice. The most propitious time for this trip is in April.
 l.. FRANK SHAW.
 St. Nicholas, Siberia, July 1.-The steamer Manuense arrived here on the 9th from Seattle, via Vladivostock, having on board Count Podhorski, well known as a large Nome mining oper- ator, who succeeds D. w. Evanoff as general agent of the Northeast Siberian company. We are all highly pleased at the appointment of Count Podhorski, as he is known as q man of liberal and progressive ideas, which fact will greatly facilitate the work of exploit ing this peninsula for minerals. Other passengers were E. B. McCOwan, at torney for the company, Alexander Alexandrovich, secretary to the gen. eral agent, two Russian mining en- gineers and a doctor. Thirty Coreans, with three Russian foremen. also land ed here. There were ten American miners aboard, under contract to the company, who were to have been put of some 900 miles down the coast of Kamchatka to prospect there, but, owing to the threatened trouble be- tween Russia and Japan, they were not allowed to land. It is understood here that the company has secured an addi- tion of 500 miles of territory adjoining the southern boundary of the present concession.
 The Manuense landed 100 Russians and Americans down south to open up coal mines and establish three can. neries. The coal mines are very ex- tensive, the vein .extending parallel with tide water for distance of IS miles.
 Near East Cape, Messrs. Salyn and Chernyshov, two Russians, have found good placer prospects.
 Graphite in the amorphous state has also been found here.
 The United States government has placed an order for 400 female reindeer with the company. The impression seems to prevail in Alaska and the outside that these reindeer can exist only on what is called "reindeer inOss." The writer can state from personal ob- servation, as we'll as conversation with "deer men; here, that deer will thrive very nicely on grasses, flowers, willow leaves, etc., and idoss is not at all necessary.
 The steamer Manuense is now owned by the Northeast Siberian company, and 6ies the Russian flag. Her name haa S<crsS chanUadl tn the Naded ia