The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-09-06

tasteless. The shape and nature of
the fruit are very similar to the black
haw of the States, although ii is of
q yellowish white color The natives
| fry ii in fat, either OF the moose,
sheep or caribou, at the same time
MASKING it well with stick or spoon,
thus making a very paatable dish,
If one does not see the cook or the
cooking Their chief vegetable food
is, however. a peculiar parsnip-shaped .
root, but longer than that vegetable, I
which they call chass. The portion .
above ground is about six to twelve /
inches. and not unlike a small bunch .
o; willows. while the root is frequently .
several feet long. 1t is never cured, /
but is eaten raw, boiled or roasted. |
Many miners and prospectors dig this .
root and use it extensively iii their .
diet.
Fish. rabbits, moose, sheep, caribou,
bears. goats, porrupines, beaver, lynx,
| muskrat geese. ducks and ptarmigan .
and grouse constitute their chief food.
| OF these the fish is decidedly the most
! important. Rabbits are next in or
! der. They have no process of curing
save that by drying in the sun or
/ melted and run into small intestines,
/ while even the blood is saved in the
/ paunch of the animal It is OF little
importance to them whether these
/ be cleaned or not, and equally unim-
portant whether or not their meat be
we'll cooked or not. and in boiling ii .
is seldom allowed to be done through. !
/ The entire entrails of the rabbit are
boiled, sometimes with the bodies
from which they were taken and
again with other meat. the vegetable
matter which is not removed forming
an important intiscorbutiC Good orr
special food is always cooked by the
men. and the refuse of all is given to
the women \ boy of five or six years
old has precedence over his mother
at meals There is no limit to the
quantity of food a hungry native can
consume. \ single kind OF food must
be abundant to furnish sufficient
quantities of the vital elements nee
| essary to the system. A much less
quantity of mixed food satisfies. Like
most Indians, they eat when hungry
without regard to intervals. They are
very fond of tea, and also drink the
liquor in which the food is boiled.
In olden days they made a drink from
a plant called lambkin which is used
by nearly all natives and the inhabit-
ants of British Columbia and Labra-
dor No special preparation of this
plant is required, not even drying be
fore using. Since the white men
came they have picked up all his vices
and none of his virtues. They are
fond of liquor and consume great
quantities when they can get ii.
If they ever possessed any knowl-
edge of surgery or medicine 1t was
not known. The shamans of the
tribe prescribed for the sick and
charged a good round sum for doing
so. Their contact with Americans of
late years has taught them the value
OF the white mans remedies, and they
will take any dose prescribed if it is
given by white man.
Never were any Indians SO devoid
of luxuries as these Copper River In.
dams. The wealthiest carry ,nly one
to three large kettles, a tea kettle,
a frying pan, several wooden trays OF
native manufacture, several knives.
spoons and cup or so. In but few
homes are there any preteXts o: fur
niture Until the advent of the whites
the Indian carried on the trail with
him one or two wooden trays, his knife
and possibly a small cup. His shelter
was OF the sCantiest. and he could
stand cold and exposure that would
freeze an animal. No vessel for boil
ing water was used until the advent
of the Russians, stones being heated
and dropped into the water until it
boiled
Their clothing is generally scanty,
and consists in many cases of CASTOR
garments donated by the whites They
wear parkas in winter and sometimes
shirt made o: rabbit skin. They
also make a coat and cap of marmot
or squirrel skins. Pacs are greatly
appreciated. and moccasins in dry,
cold weather. Beads used to be the
only decorations used on wearing APP
parel Very seldom were porcupine
quilts used. as with Indians in the