The Alaska citizen., 1910-08-06
Down the Panama on a Raft aso WI PRESLEY
By w. E. PRIESTLEY


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 persuade the Indian 10 give up tn, idea finally telling him that he had better not leave the Kuskokwim as al tLe other Indians were dying with the fever.
 ] | drined au that afternoon for about twenty miles. until l arrived at la deserted cabin at the mouth of Ho. Springs sIough. tied up the raC at the month of the slough. and after walking about siZ miles arrived at tae Uot Spring. These springs are lone Of the most remarkable things in Alaska In aH area of about three hundred acres there are about forty springs. with an average rcupera. .ture al tac surface of about 16o de. grcos.
 These springs were discoyercI about five years ago by two prospcc. tors that had wandered from the Panama in search of game. Up "a ] |taaf time ID white men were aware Iof their existence. bat they were well known to inc Indians. who avoid. led them. believing hem to he the home of evil sriHa The Indians
 were good enough 70 warn the two . .prospecrors Of the spirits When The Indians saw that the white men wis lied the springs tu safety. they pldoI. . ei u2 courage enough to have look. ] At certain .n e~Fats these spriues maka a peculiar ramHos noise, and as the horr9r- riofeu natives heard
 he sH1tyrraueaa noise they were anxious 0g sols, taa mystery. One of the rrespg.-or= informed hem
 aa- he had a maa below 10 poke Hp rhe devil. in ca.e he 'e. tle water get c0It The Haiyes were vizfbIr impressed with this marvellous intel 'ieen.a. and Daer since that parficu- lar prosao.gor hes borne the rcpu- tatiou Of being a great medicine mm-
 At Dae present t.me ahe Iaua around .ao springs i. being worked as farm Many kinds or vegetables and fmHz gro" here. such as po- ta.oos. melons, strawberries. pump. Elns, squash, he..a and celery. l stayed ogor ar sae Smiug- for that a,e. eaj9.H- .le fresh veg cables. eh..a agae a distinct hos. city in tAat part of the world.
 Eezs aag ! noticed that on the bank of .ae river and close 10 the
 aa ther. were several hear tracks. I waz evident lHat 5cu, had been ProHIiua aroaaa tuilg Jhe nfgHt. but as | had taken uae precaurfou To io. the rafr drift at tbc end of q rope, they had been unable 10 con tiuuc raeir iaEcstieatious.
 This day proved to be my record as tgr a. distance vas concerned. for l made over seventy miles. A few miles below rhe Hot Springs the topography ot ,ao country changed. for the Panama. which had been run ming between hills. now entered the Panama Flats. Like most rivers run ming through a fat country the Tan ana was very monotonoa5 during t'is part of the journey. The eurrcur vas slow. and the river was very winding. 4 far as the eye could see the country was one big, Hat marsh.
 Ny camping place that night was lat the mouth of 8 small creek. where several Indians were camped, engag ed in fishing II would perhaps be more correct to say that they Were camped there with the ayowed mten- tion of catching fish, but aa a mat fer Of fact at that particular time they were all under the influence of whiskey. Two white men had land ed about two hours before l arrived with a good supply Of Whiskey, and although it is a criminal oTense 10 supply an Indian with liquor they were defying the law and were do- ing rushing business. Il should also be remembered that they were not slow 10 sample their own goods, and I found the entire population, both red and white. in an exuberant state of nt0Xication. l helped my self to some fresh fish that had been caught by the Indians, and proceeded to cook my supper, while the Indians still continued to imbibe fire water"
 It will only be a question of few years before the Indians of Alaska are extinct, and for this the white man will be wholly to blame Alcohol and various diseases intro duced among the natives by the whites have caused terrible havoc with the native population of Alaska.
 Early next morning I left the camp, the inhabitants of which were still in a drunken stupor. From the mouth of this creek to the mouth of the Panama river was only about five hours run, and the only thing that broke the monotony of the trip ,r-,r, ,.,+l1,. ,,.;I,1 ~b-,tt,,,,