400 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



presents and feast are given to members of opposite tribes.) The pres- 

 ent, whatever it may be, is divided or torn into as many portions as 

 donees, and then presented, after which more singing- and more presents 

 until everything is given away. This may last twenty-four or forty- 

 eight hours, the women during this time nevtr leaving tlie house, and 

 eating nothing save an occasional cracker which may have been pre- 

 sented to them, moistening their throats, as they become dry, with the 

 juice of tobacco, made moist in a can of water. 



After the potlatch comes the feast. Rice has been cooked and 

 seasoned with molasses aud seal oil; boxes of sugar and biscuit opened, 

 and an abundance of the omnipresent seal grease provided. Every 

 available receptacle, from a washtub to au old tin can, is used for pass- 

 ing around the food, and everybody eats until their stomachs rebel, 

 go outside, relieve themselves by vomiting, and return to the attack 

 until all has been consumed. They know no such thing as stopping at 

 an intermediate point. The potlatch aud subseipient feast must exceed 

 the cost of the simple structure in honor of which it is given many times. 



THE ISLAND OF AFOGNAC. 



Mr. A. Lasey, United States deputy surveyor for Alaska, accom- 

 panied the late J. K. Luttrell during a greater portion of his travels 

 among the various canneries, and especially among those on the Kar- 

 luk liiver and on the island of Afognac. Mr. Luttrell had thoroughly 

 discussed with him in regard to these canneries, and had communicated 

 to him his ideas and the recommendations he would make in his report 

 with reference thereto. He therefore presents, upon request, Mr. Lut- 

 trell's ideas and conclusions on the subject of the better protection of 

 the salmon fisheries and the proposed establishment of a Government 

 hatchery on the island of Afognac. 



This island has been recently condemned and set apart as a Govern- 

 ment reservation, the object being to use the same for the purpose of 

 a hatchery. It is the second largest island in northwest Alaska, 

 containing an area of over 600 square miles. It is mountainous, and 

 the lower parts are covered with a thick growth of valuable pine, from 

 which most of the small schooners and boats employed in hunting and 

 trading have been built. On it fur-bearing animals, such as brown 

 and black bear, silver-gray fox, and other small game, are found. There 

 is on its coast one settlement of about 200 inhabitants, natives and 

 Creoles, and has a church, two stores, and a schoolhouse. The poi)ula- 

 tion depend for their living on hunting, fishing, and cutting wood for 

 export to the more southerly i)oints of Alaska, the jieninsula and adja- 

 cent islands being entirely devoid of timber, even for domestic purposes. 

 On it there are a half dozen canneries, the value of two of which exceed 

 $100,000. The Afognac Eiver, on Avhich it is intended to erect the 

 hatchery, is filled with rapids and natural obstructions, so that the num- 

 ber of salmon endeavoring to ascend this river to spawn is comi:)ara- 

 tively snmll. The greater portion of the fish caught in Afognac Bay 

 are passing schools. 



In marked contrast to this is the Karluk River and Lake on Kodiak 

 Island — the great natural breeding ground of the salmon. Immense 

 schools of the fish gather every summer at the mouth of the river, and 

 in former years ascended unhindered to the lake. On Karluk Spit, a 

 narrow tongue of land at tlie mouth of the river Karluk, are est;\b 

 lished 5 first-class canneries and fishing stations, and in close proximity 

 on the south side of the river 2 more, making 7 canneries in all. 



