200 



ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



fur-seal islands haviug been first peopled a hundred years ago by 

 transplanting Aleuts from Unalaska. 



The condition of the natives on the two islands is quite as good as 

 usual after a long winter of idleness, during which time they shut 

 themselves uj) in their close houses without permitting any ventilation 

 whatever, keeping the house warmed up to an unhealthy temperature, 

 taking only such outdoor exercise as is required of them in attendance 

 on their church service, emerging in the spring in time to clean up and 

 prepare for the arrival of the vessel. When it is dami) and cold, they 

 are as imprudent and careless as during the winter, consequently take 

 cold easily, resulting in many cases fatally. Bronchitis and pneumonia 

 are the spring diseases. This year has been an unusually fatal one, 

 there having been seventeen deaths in June and up to 12th of July. 

 When once an Aleut makes up his mind to die, having no recuperative 

 powers, he baffles the skill of the physician and calmly awaits the in- 

 evitable. With proper care they would be much longer lived, as there 

 is nothing in the climate or sanitary condition of the islands to invite 

 disease. 



The white population on both islands, some of whom have remained 

 continuously for five years, are always remarkably healthy. It is a 

 notable fact that not a single death from disease has occurred among 

 them since the transfer of Alaska to the United States. 



While the percentage of mortality among the natives is much greater 

 than can be found in any State or country of which we have statistics, 

 it is only a question of time when the Aleuts will become extinct. 



The census taken January 1, 1887, shows as follows: 



a Seventeen deaths from June 1 to July 12, including five sealers ; almost 7 per cent in forty-two days. 

 6 One death since June 1. 



The cause of the excess of females on the islands is owing to a regu- 

 lation of the Greek Church, which forbids the marriage of parties 

 where the most distant relationship exists. It even extends to the 

 relatiyes of the contracting parties, godmother and godfather. This 

 absurd obstacle makes it almost out of the question for residents of 

 the island to marry. The priest controls all marriages. His permis- 

 sion is absolutely required belbre a marriage can take place. This rule 

 of the church forces the men to go to Unalasl<a or other islands for 

 wives, and every year pilgrimages are made for that purpose. The 

 priest first being api)lie(l to, tells the wife seeker whom he may marry. 

 While accessions of females are made to the population in this way, 

 no adult males are allowed to come from other islands and become citi- 

 zens of the fur-seal islands without special permission of the Secre- 

 tary of the Treasury. 



The usual eight months' school was conducted on both islands with 

 about the usual results. Twenty five children attended on St. George 

 and .55 on St. Paul. The native children are stupidly dull and not 

 encouraged by their parents to learn English. They would not send a 



