38o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



their game and do their hunting and trapping during this season. 

 In the summer they descend the rivers to the coast for the purpose 

 of meeting the whalers and traders, and bartering the furs caught 

 during the winter. The principal furs of the interior are the black 

 and silver-gray fox-skins, black and brown bear, wolf, lynx, 

 beaver, otter, and numerous smaller skins, as marten, ermine, etc. 

 For these skins the Indians receive in exchange powder and lead, 

 tobacco, cotton drilling, and various small articles. Rifles are 

 highly prized, and, although they are contraband, nearly every 

 Indian possesses one. Deer are caught in great numbers, but 

 their skins are valuable only among the natives for clothing. 



A deer-hunt which we witnessed was so different from our pre- 

 vious conceptions that I think it worthy a description. Upon this 

 occasion, while sledging with a party of Indians, a herd of deer 

 was sighted. The natives took their rifles and started, some going 

 in one direction and some in another, but all keeping to leeward of 

 the deer. Those who went directly toward the herd waited until 

 the others had got partly around before starting. The first shot 

 was the signal, whereupon all hands rushed toward the frightened 

 animals, who separated and plunged blindly in every direction. 

 The Indians shouted, making all the noise possible, the fleeing 

 animals in their fear mistaking Indians for deer, and rushing on 

 until a shot showed them their error, when they would turn and 

 flee as blindly as before. Even after the first fright they circled 

 around the danger, trying to get together, and in this way many 

 more were killed. As much meat as could be carried was loaded 

 upon the sleds, while the remainder was cached in the snov/, to be 

 sledged for at some future time. 



The Indians spend their winters in the mountains. They are 

 generally found in villages consisting of from two to a dozen 

 houses. The winter house of these people consists of a hemispheri- 

 cally shaped hut, made by bending willow saplings or cutting 

 spruce to the desired shape. The framework is covered with 

 brush, and over this dried moss and turf to the depth of a foot or 

 more. There is an ice-window on either side of the entrance. In 

 the roof is a hole just over the fireplace for the smoke. Inside, the 

 center of the hut is used as the fireplace, the fire being made the 

 same as in the open air. At the back of the hut is a meat-stand, 

 upon which several hundred pounds of deer-meat are kept, so that 

 a quantity will be on hand sufficiently thawed for use. Upon en- 

 tering a hut when traveling, some of this partially thawed meat is 

 always offered to the new-comer. The floor of the hut is covered 

 with brush, upon which they sit during the day, and spread skins 

 to sleep upon at night. Meat is cooked but once a day. About 

 5 p. M. a large fire is started and the pots are put on. These are 

 the ordinary kettles of civilization which they get in trade, or, in 



