The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-11-21
THLINKErs.
Alaskan Indians Are Less Beautiful
Than Their Baskets.

Alaskan Indians Are Less Beautiful
Than Their Baskets.
The Alaskan Indian Ia so unlike
the red man Of our great West that
he is probably Of different racial
stock. Many students of ethnology
claim that these queer people of the
North are Of Asiatic origin from the
fact that their skillful carvings and
method of weaving indicate that at
some time or other they must have
been in contact with the Japanese
race-even the features of the Chill
kat tribe bear a slight resemblance
to those Of the little brown men OF
the Orient.
The Indians are known under the
general name of, Thlinkets, and r
divided into tribes called the Chill
kats, Stickenes, Yakutats, Haidahs,
Aleuts and Auks. There is nothing
picturesque in either the dress or the
makeup of the squaws. The former
usually consists Of a dirty calico or
worsted dress, a greasy-looking shawl
and a highly-co1ored, handkerchief
tied over the head. Many Of them
still cling to their moccasins. The
,laboret, or lip ornament, is fast dis
appearing, but there Is one. woman
at Wrangel who still wears 1t. She
sappears to>be about; ninety years old,
although the tourist is told that she
is 10. This hideous face decoration
10 peculiar to the Alaskan Indians.
An incision Is made in the chin just
below the lip, and a piece of green
wood forced into the hole. The wood
swells, and when the opening has
healed, the laboret, the size OF a
spool of buttonhole twist, Is inserted.
1t is usually made of abloni shell,
but sometimes common glass. It's
weight often pulls the lip down, dis
closing ragged teeth. But the 1aboret
was a mark of rank and wealth and
was universally worn.
Rings through the nose were also
in fashion among both sexes, but this
custom has entirely disappeared.
Cheap American jewelry has taken
the place Of these once priced orna-
ments, and fancy bracelets and rings
with colored glass setting adorn the
arms and hands of the squaws. An
other tribe, the Auks, paint their
faces with peculiar kind Of wood
found in the mountains, and after
satisfying a foolish desire to try the
effect on my own face, I can testify
that it will not readily wash off.
Their manner is stolid, but the
sight Of a camera will nearly always
cause a stampede to cover. They sit
along the streets of the white mans
town." selling baskets, moccasins and
trinkets. Babies are often on their
laps, yet they rarely cry.and do not
disturb their mothers as they offer
Indian wares The baskets on sale
are unique, the main texture Of them
being spruce roots interviewer with
blades Of grass and colored with a
vegetable dye prepared by IN I'M
known process. Many days are often
consumed in weaving q single one, as
the worker cannot evsn begin the
basket until hundreds ! Of slender
threads Of fibre have been Secured.
They are carefully wrapped to keep
them from getting soiled, and the
customer is requested not to handle
them. Prices range from 81 to $25,
according to the size and quality Of
the work. Attu baskets are more ex-
,pensive, and bring from $25 to $3.50.
This is due to the scarcity Of weayers,
which now number about thirty-fve.
The finest basket ever woven by this
tribe was presented to Helen Gould
as a token Of their appreciation of
her kindness several years ago, when
they on the verge Of starvation.
The soft coloring and delicate weav-
ing Of Attu baskets so attracted Nine.
Calves artistic eye during~a visit to
Seattle that fifty specimens Of Aleu-
tian work together with a number. Of
their carYtngA on mastodon. ivory,
now ~ hooks and corners of her
Pr &.-Leslie's Weekly.