Alaska -- Antiquities; Eskimos; Eskimos -- Anthropometry; Indians of North America -- Alaska; Indians of North America -- Yukon
At Eklutna was found an isolated but prettily located and well-kept
Indian school, with about fifty children from many parts of
southwestern Alaska. More than half of these children showed more
or less admixture of white blood, but there was a minority of
unquestionable full bloods. There were two children from Kodiak Island
and two or three southern Eskimo. The main impression after a detailed
look at the children was that, while they all showed clear Indian
affinities and some were typically Indian, yet on the whole there
was a prevalent trace of something Eskimoid in the physiognomies--an
observation that was to be repeated more than once in other parts of
Indian Alaska.
_Burials._--At a few minutes' walk from the school at Eklutna there
is in a clearing of the forest a small Indian village, with a late
graveyard showing Russian influence. A short distance farther, however,
according to the Indians, there is an old burial place of some
magnitude, with traces of graves, although quite obliterated.
_Eklutna--Fairbanks._--Since reaching Seward the almost incessant
drizzles have ceased and the weather has been fine and pleasantly warm.
Everything is green, grass is luxuriant, and there are many flowers.
The railroad journey is a regular scenic tour, with its crowning
point a glorious view of Mount McKinley. The trains run only in the
daytime. For the night a stop is made at a railroad hotel, in a quiet,
picturesque location, at the edge of a good-sized river. They have
foxes in cages here and a tame reindeer. There are no natives in this
vicinity.
There are two interesting passengers on the train, with both of whom I
became well acquainted. One is Joe Bernard, an explorer and collector
(besides his other occupations) in Alaska and Siberia. He furnishes
me with some valuable pictures and much information. The other man is
Captain Wilkins, the flier of Point Barrow fame, who strikes me as an
able and modest man.
The next day, as the train stops at Nenana, I am met, thanks to a word
sent by Mr. Noel W. Smith, by Chief Thomas and a group of his people.
These behave kindly and tell me of a potlatch to be held at Tanana
"after some days," where they will visit. The chief impresses me with
his rather refined though thoroughly Indian countenance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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