The New Eldorado: A Summer Journey to AlaskaBallou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
History
The New Eldorado: A Summer Journey to Alaska
Ballou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
Alaska -- Description and travel; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
Fort Wrangel has several demon-like totem-poles. There is a sort of
fascination attached to these awkward objects which leads one carefully
to examine and constantly to talk about them. Before some cabins there
are two of the weird things, covered with devices representing both the
male and female branches of the family which occupies the cabin. It was
found that much more importance was attached to these emblems here than
had been manifested farther south. An interested excursionist who came
up on our steamer, wishing to possess himself of a totem-pole, found one
at last of suitable size for transportation, and tried to purchase it,
but discovered that no possible sum which he could offer would be
considered as an equivalent for it. All of his subsequent efforts in
this line proved equally unsuccessful so far as totem-poles were
concerned, and yet we remember that they are to be found in many of our
public museums throughout the States, and we have seen large ones lying
upon the ground moss covered and neglected. It appeared to be only the
rich native who indulged in an individual totem-pole. The cost of one,
say forty or fifty feet long, carved after the orthodox fashion, with
the free feast given at all such raisings, is said to be over a thousand
dollars. The more lavish the expenditure on these occasions, the greater
the honor achieved by the host.
There is a successful day-school established here besides the Indian
Girls’ Home, which is accomplishing much good in educating the rising
generation, and in introducing civilized manners and customs. The
children evince a fair degree of natural aptitude, learning easily to
read and write, but are a little dull, we were told, in arithmetic.
Adult, uneducated natives, however, are quick enough at making all
necessary calculations in their trades with the whites, either as
purchasers of domestic goods, or in selling their peltries. The
Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Moravians, Quakers, Baptists,
and Roman Catholics all have missionary stations in different parts of
the country. Schools have also been established for the general
instruction of whites and natives at Juneau, Sitka, Wrangel, Jackson,
and other localities under direction of our government officials, and
proper teachers have been supplied, the whole system being under the
supervision of a competent head. Mrs. J. G. Hyde, who teaches school at
Juneau, in her last year’s report, says: “Many of the scholars, who,
when the term began last September, could not speak a word of English,
can now not only speak, but read and write it. They can also spell
correctly and are beginning in the first principles of arithmetic. To
the casual observer perhaps nothing seems more absurd than the attempt
by any process to enlighten the clouded intellect of this benighted
people. Indeed, the most squalid street Arabs might be considered a
thousand times more desirable as pupils. But a few days’ work among and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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