GAS BOAT HAZEL
HEINIE BERGER, Captain
Cabin passengers to Nuka
Bay, Cook Inlet and
Prince Wm. Sound
Points
For Electrical Work
CALL TOM OSBO
Residence—Madison 123
For any kind of
GENERAL REPAIRING
G. THORKELSON
Leave Call at The NORTHERN
Typewriters and sewing machines
made as good as new
0. K. BARBER SHOP
LADIES HAIRCUTTING
AND SHAMPOOING.
CLEAN SANITARY BATHS
Jess Lander, Prop.
GOLDEN NORTH HOTEL
“Best In the North”
AT SKAGWAY
60 Daylight Rooms
PRIVATE BATHS
American and European Plan
Remember the Name
The New Howard-Jesson
Coal—Try It.
Healy Lump, Nut or Mine
Run
Evan Jones Lump or Mine
Run
Nanimo Range Coal
In Sack or Bulk
WOOD, ICE, HAY AND
GRAIN
Transferring — Teaming
ALASKA
TRANSFER
Telephone—Main 81
ARCADljl BUILDING
H. V. Hoben. A. F. Davis
THE MAJESTIC BEAUTY OF THE
ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
By KATHERINE G. KANE
U. S. Government Teacher
AKUTAN. ALASKA
(Written especially for The Seward Ddy Gateway)
REGARDLESS of the many des
criptive writers, novelists, jour
nalists and geologists, that travel
through Alaska for the purpose of
gaining a first hand information of
its bewildering scenic beauty, its
endless resources, bird life, fisher
ies, and countless other features,
—there is still—a story yet un
told.
Alaska—meaning “Great Coun
try”—has been truly named; no
person who has lived or even visit
ed in this northern land can ever
say that the time spent here was
in vain.
Owned by Russia and populated
by a primitive race of Aborigines
of many tribes, clans and sects,
about the only knowledge we have
of the old races are the carvings
upon the many wooden totem poles
that foretell the history and ances
try of the chieftains and warriors
of earlier days. These poles tell
of the many conflicts between the
Indian tribes and contain the le
gends of a primitive people.
Adjacent to the island of Akutan,
which, by the way, is the largest,
and beautiful beyond expression,
lie the islands of Akun and Tidal
go, both of which are held in re
serve and not available for lease
for fur farming. These islands,
with the Bering sea and North Pa
cific ocean, lashing their shores for
centuries past have made approach
almost impossible; but on the
north, or Bering sea side of these
islands there is a safe little harbor
for small power boats, and at this
place on both the islands, are to be
found indisputable proof of the love
of the Great Spirit that was forever
uppermost in hearts and minds of
these primitive people.
About one-half mile from the
beach are the ruins of two church
es; the one on Akun bears an in
scription in Russian, written on a
copper plate, of being erected in
1S34. As years rolled by and the
church was crumbling to decay, the
natives built a sort of a fortress
over the sacred altar and commu
nion table, all of which stands in
tact and imperishable to the pres
ent day in silent testimony of a
sublime divine faith of the early
race.
The only thing left of the church
on Tidalgo, is the Cross, that has
stood the ravages of time and the
elements and while it leaves us
no written message, it was doubt
less erected before the other on
Ahun.
It is inspiring to find on an iso
lated island the silent appeal for
heavenly assistance that when we
confront these sacred shrines, we
bow our heads in reverence to such
fidelity to their faith. It seems that
their first thought was Christianity,
afterwards came civilization and
industry.
These islands with their low
sloping mountains, valleys and can
yons, are covered with a heavy
growth of grass, and different spe
cies of lichen, moss and mush
roons, and these together with the
natural shelter provided by the ov
erhanging crags and cliffs, make
them an ideal home for the rein
deer. The United States Govern
ment will in the near future place
a herd of deer thereon for the ex
clusive use of the natives of Aku
tan.
If we could but turn time back
ward for a space of years, and im
agine if we can, these modern na
tives revert to the dress and cus
toms of their forefathers. We would
see them clad in magnificent re
galia of ermine, mink, and black
fox skins, and ornamented by teeth
and varia-colored sea shells, eagle
feathers and breast plates of pre
cious wampun, dancing in rhyth
mic cadence to the primitive music
of the tom-tom. The same god of
music that ruled over the tribes
years ago, rules over the gyrating
group of dancers as in the old tra
ditional way. The eldest of the
trible exhoning his comrades to be
strong, brave, and a good hunter
so as to be worthy of the god of
plenty. The raven, the eagle, the
wolf, the frog, and other creatures
of the earth were their object les
son. The sun, moon and stars have
their plaice in their belief, and the
wind and the rain are their con
federates in bringing about great
harvest and abundance of fish. Nou
the scene has changed: the blan
kets and habiliments of olden times
are laid aside for the clothes of
civilization.
The young Indian men ane wo
men of today ride fn high power
motor boats and automobiles when
ever the roads will permit. Many
of them have become musicians of
no mean ability, others are profi
cient in many professions, and will
in the near future be able to work
shoulder to shoulder with the white
man. Thus we can observe the re
sult of the untiring work of the Bu
reau of Education with their effi
cient superintendents and teachers
thruout Alaska.
In our little village of Afcutan.
we have a .population of sixty-three
persons, thirteen houses with two
or three rooms, and six new three
room modem houses each equipped
with electric lights, hot and cold
vrater and with each house is
built a warehouse in which are
kept the food supply. These indus
trious natives live and dres? wel’
and have social gatherings. A few
of the young men have become suf
ficiently proficient in playing the
mandolin, guitar, banjo and accoT
dion, thiU. they are able to furnish
music for their dances.
The whaling station provides
about five months employment with
overtime. After whaling they can
put up cod fish until the fur sea- >r
opens. Red fox are plentiful on
our island and they can often be
seen playing on the mountainsides.
A few of the natives have leased j
islands on which they raise blue
foxes. Thus with these resources
there is never any cause for desti
tution. We also hare an absolute
ly bone dry village: no home brew
or any intoxicant tolerated.
In our school there were twenty- j
eight in daily attendance, with nr
tardy marks or absentees except of
sickness. Two students finished the
sixth grade carrying eight subjects
with an average of J*4 per cent.
Most of the pupils made good
grades in drawing from the speci
mens sent to the Seattle office, we
received creditable comment on. In
domestic art our filet lunch cloths
cut work embroidery, knitting and
sewing was excellent. In expres- 1
sion the pupils made good grades
taking into consideration that these
children must master a new lan
guage makes the work very diffi
cult for them. Our schoolroom
Quarters are very inadequate for
the number of pupils, but we are
living in hopes of having material
sent in foT a new building this
year.
This year ve took up the almost
lost art of the exquisite basket
weaving, there being only rrc wo
men in our village who are experts
in the gathering, curving anti
bleaching this certain specie ot
grass, and who are able to weave
baskets into many intricate de
signs. Dainty May baskets, card
cases, covered jars and boxes are
now being taught tri-weekly. Four
baskets were partly made this year i
as the work is tedious and requires
the utmost skill in weaving in the
patterns aud the mesh work. The
pupils find this an interesting work
and it means much to them, both
for the knowledge and also the fi
nancial benefit they derive from the
sale of those baskets.
Eaton, Crane and Pike Highland
Linen Stationary—Schallerer’s Alas
ka Shop.
All Signed Commimjcaiinns Ward
ed into the Gateway foT publication
must be typewgj^ter and double spac
ed.
WdLKINS REWAINS BARRON
WAFTING ENGINE REPAIRS
Repairs haw not yet beat complet
ed an the rentiwl emrins of the mm
plane Detroiter. which was dam ass’*
wh en a cowl hap was broket a* the
mo tore were beinc warmed i» pr*
para tor? tc fly top over the Arctic It
search of land.
RINA4. €XAW NATIONS
The Hiph School pupils .are mv
prepartoc for their fin? ecum feature*
which will b* ptoi tbe Snc pff per
week. The pupil' it the prefle schools
will he harinp their tests the latter
pan of this week auc tbs *r^: «? the ’
following The® a mcatint rtf twt
and one-half mouths with noth tc re J
worry ahou-' ‘ Ait*: it t r~--Bpd *p£ ]
plo-r-r-ious feelto'T
Weekly Gateway—* per ya*r.
i
(
(
FRESH MILK AND
CREAM
We oiu&t to drink
same each day for
*nnld surely make us
healthy.
and after we pet old
and cney our health
wx>«ki make us wealthy.
SEWARD DAIRY
THE SOtROrNTOXSS
Senioe and Food art the Iws* at
FISHERS' CAFE
OHAXO.GS FISHER. Prop.
Special Merchant* Lnnch—11 a. m . t» 1 -.3* p. m.
PRIVATE BOOTHS DANCE ROOM
FLOWERS BAKERY *nd GROCERY
PTES—BREA D—PASTR V
Cates t* Order
NO ORDER TOO LARGE T\> HU.
Omrmg ro time heirc «crapM »i;ti Imkinc mi
IVJwb are heinii made
mm m
C&s*l <\ A. JokmmL
HJNG STR. STARR OIT OF vRD
FOR BRISTOL BAY JU NE L
U C. Hcwlcrw Acrot
C'^C'VE nsi
ALASKA
ALASKA STEAMSHIP CO.
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#**99
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a ADMIRAL LINE
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