THE OREGON N VrURAl.IS T. 



143 



arrived on the steamsliip Alki, and will return h^y^ ^^1,;^.^ is i,nder the frowning brow of 

 north on the same boat. All are Sitka Indians Mo^^^t P^iirweather. The Indians say it is a 

 and live on Baranoff island, and everyone of very dangerous coast for canoemcn, and this 

 them is a hunter save Lizzie— the crack men of y^^^ n^^y had three of their canoes thrown up- 

 their tribe. They came down, as Hammond ^.^ f],. [.g^^i, ,,y ^^g tremendous surf and 

 says, to see what Seattle can afford in the way b,-oken to pieces. Nearly every year several 

 of a permanent market for their skins. Here- oMhe hunters lose their lives by being upset 

 tofore buyers of furs and skins have always oif shore during the storms, or are thrown up- 

 gone to Alaska every year and bought up the ^^ d.^ j.Qcks along the coast, 

 skins and furs from the Indians, and have Last year, while Fred was out at the time he 

 always had to pay stiff prices. The Indian is ^ade his banner killing, his uncle's canoe was 

 always looking out for the very best bargai 1 he ^,^5^1 and his friend drowne.l. The hunters 

 can make, and that is whj tiie Alaska hunting „s^. ., ^mall shotgun in killing the sea oiter. 

 party is in Seattle. This trait of the Indian yi,g animals are most often seen well out from 

 never was more neatly demonstate.l than when j^^^^^ ^^,^^ ^.,,g„ ^^e is sighted, every hunter is 

 aTimes reporter engnged them in conversation i„„nediately upon .his feet in the bow of his 

 upon the manner and style of hunting sea otter, canoe, and the next time the otter sticks his 

 black bear and marten. After proceed- hg^^, ^l^o^e ^ater a score of guns tlirow their 

 ingto relate in part, in very fair English, how ig^^^^n pellets in his direction. The sea otter 

 it was all done, one of the spokesmen prompt- i^ very wary, and is perhaps the most difficult 

 !y demanded $2 before proceeding any further, ^f ^n fu,.bearing animals to kill. White men 



When told that Seattle reporters seldom „^,,g, attempt its capture in Alaskan waters, 



possessed so much money, they were not one -ph^ Indians hunt the black bear back in 



bit appeased, and got up and strode away, ,,,e in,e,ior from Latuya bay, near the base of 



refusing further details. the mountains and in 1 he gorges. They use 



The party have three otter skins, a number trained Alaska dogs, usually four or six in a 



of black bear skins and marten .skins. The p^^,ty. The hunters provide themselves with 



Indians frequently get as much as §500 for a ^-^^^^ ,^^„ ^^y ,hey could not succeed in 



sea otter in Alaska, and they expect to get capturing many without their dogs. They also 



better figures. Black bear frequently bring „.se bear traps such as are to be bought in the 



$50 apiece in Alaska, and as high as $9 is paid h^.-^ware stores, in capturing them, and a long 



for marten. The hunters expected to do time ago they say they used to make a trap 



better by bringing their skins and furs here, themselves which was not dissimilar from the 



andsaythat, if such proves the case, they will ^^^^j^^u ^f ^^^ backwoodsman. A big log, 



bring all their catches here next year. ^^^^^-^^ weighted on one end and elevated and 



Fred, who is a small man, with keen, black ^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^-^^^^.^ ^t the other, constituted 



eyes, is said to be the best hunter in Alaska, ^^e trap proper. To get the bear to place 



and apparently felt very proud of the dis- hi„,self in position to be struck down by the 



tinction. He has a record of five sea otter log, a fence of logs was constructed about the 



killed last year, for which he received $1500. t,,p ..nd bait, so placed that, when the bear 



These were killed during a three days' hunt. .tempted to pull it dway, he sprung the trap. 



This year sea o-ter were very scarce, and Marten are hunted and caught along the 



the hunters say th It next year and the year r a 1 1 r cvi . 1 j r 



-' -' ■' coast of Alaska from Sitka westward, and for 



following no otter will be taken, and they will ^^^^ ^-^^^^^^^ ^^^^ i„ the interior. The Sitka 



be given a chance to muh.ply. This year, j.^^^ans do not go much farther west than 



with 100 canoes out, but it; sea otter were t 1 1 » 1 ^ j 1 f 1 .• 



' -> ^^ Latuva bay, but do a great deal of hunting 



taken. The chase after the sea otter is alonp 11 .1 1 r d o- ■ 1 i 



£> about the southern end of Baranoff island, 

 the coast'^ Alaska, in the vicinty of Latuya 



