Douglas Island news., 1919-06-06
KATMAI ONCE A
 BUSY SETTLEMENT
ThrOnged With Hunters, Traders and Trappers-Was Central Point
 of Transit for Interior

Many years ago the settlement of Kamai, across the sholikof Straits from Kodiak Island, was a prosper ous and thriving settlement. lt was not only thronged with hundreds Of trappcr9 and traders, but was the outhtting poet for the sca-otter hun ter and was tho center Of transit for traffic and travel across the pcnin- gdla. Three different routes con ivcrged here and made the station of much importance. Now its glory has departed and beyond few houses. a cannery and hundred or SO natives, nothing is left to denote it's former grandeur. In former days it was no uncommon sight to sec a small fleet of vessels in the bay. and tho post doing a thriving business with the natives and travelling ad- vcnturcrs.
 The people Of the two villages. Naknek and Ugaguk, came down to Katmai 10 do their shopping. and to dispose Of their furs, undertaking 8 very arduous and dangerous tramp over mountains and glaciers and across deep and dangerous streams In preference to taking the equally dangerous canoe or bldarky voyage Co Bristol Bay posts. Only at long intervals would a party proceed to Nushagak to visit the Russian priest to whose spiritual care they had been assigned without regard 10 locality or convenience.
 Katmai. before tho mountain Of the spmc name blew its head or scv- cral years ago. was district rich in furs and fish, with indications Of pc- troleum, sulphur. coal and other mineral being found. the Russians under Baranon thoroughly exploring the coast and interior for precious metals. The sea was filled with sal- mon and codfsh, and the native and Russian hunter only had to climb the hills that rear their snow coy- cred summits immediately behind the summit to secure an the cari- bou. goats and bears desired
 Most of them, however, preferred Co brave the porils of the deep and put up with the dangers and dis comforts of sea otter hunting. and n ease of shortage of food to leave the deer and goats on the mountains undisturbed.
 Sea otter parties were fitted out here and were taken to the hunting grounds by small sloops or schooners owned and operacd by the trading companies. The old men and youths remained at home and employed their rmc hunting or trapping bears and foxes. the latter principally of the black or cross variety. Salmon filled the streams and codfish were to be found everywhere in the yicin- itv. and formed staple article of food for the Kcnai who waXed strong and prosperous.
 When the Russian companies first penetrated this district under the leadership of two powerful compa- nics in i7S1 and 17S9 they made war upon each other unmcrcifully. Piratical deeds and bloodshcds were of frequent occurrence for ten years until Baranon with his iron will and hand settled the disputes by sending the combatants packing back to the Siberian prisons. or made short shrift Of them, confiscating their outfits.
 Historically this whole region is one of the most interesting in Alas ka. It is also of great interest to ethnologists because here are found the only instances where the interior native tribes of the Athabaskan fam ny infringed upon the coast The people known as Fanatics, Kinnats or Tinnats, are strongly defined race. but with none of the charac- teristics of the natives inhabiting Kodiak and the surrounding district. The height of the Kenai native Is grootor than that of the Aleut or Eskimo. and a full grown man Of less han . feet S inches was rarely encountered. The natives were slim. 1.-the and sinewy; the eyes were set straight in the head without the Mongolian characteristics Of the Aleuts. tho nose was aquiline and prominent; the mouth was large with full lips, the chin frequently re- ceding: the skin was perceptibly darker than that of the Eskimo or AIeut. and the hair was thicker and coarser and worn much longer than by the other natives. The males gathered it into a thick. stubby braid. hanging down over the back and smeared with grease and some times powdered over with gull feath- CTS and down.
 At the head of the inlet and on the rivers emptying into the north these people thirty years ago were much more primitive in their man ners and customs than the natives on the coast, dressing i'm skins the uomen and men wearing garments