Alaska Indians 



white man knew so much more than the Indian, 

 the white man's religion was likely to be better than 

 theirs. 



'The white man," said he, "makes great ships. 

 We, like children, can only make canoes. He makes 

 his big ships go with the wind, and he also makes them 

 go with fire. We chop down trees with stone axes ; the 

 Boston man with iron axes, which are far better. In 

 everything the ways of the white man seem to be 

 better than ours. Compared with the white man we 

 are only blind children, knowing not how best to live 

 either here or in the country we go to after we die. 

 So I wish you to learn this new religion and teach it 

 to your children, that you may all go when you die 

 into that good heaven country of the white man and 

 be happy. But I am too old to learn a new religion, 

 and besides, many of my people who have died were 

 bad and foolish people, and if this word the mission- 

 ary has brought us is true, and I think it is, many of 

 my people must be in that bad country the mission- 

 ary calls * Hell,' and I must go there also, for a Stickeen 

 chief never deserts his people in time of trouble. To 

 that bad country, therefore, I will go, and try to cheer 

 my people and help them as best I can to endure their 

 misery." 



Toyatte was a famous orator. I was present at the 

 meeting at Fort Wrangell at which he was examined 

 and admitted as a member of the Presbyterian 

 Church. When called upon to answer the questions 

 as to his ideas of God, and the principal doctrines of 

 Christianity, he slowly arose in the crowded audience, 



I 201 ] 



