CKUISE or TUE STEAMEK COEWIN. 81 



several villages made with a covering of large pieces of birch bark sown together. In each village 

 there is a store-house made of heavy pieces of timber stood on end and a flat roof made of small 

 poles, where fish are stored after having been dried in the sun. This house has a rude door which 

 can be closed and thus effectually prevent the depredations of dogs. 



As no cooiiing is done within the house during the summer there is no necessity for an opening 

 in the roof for the escape of smoke, and in order to be protected as much as possible from the 

 tormenting mosquito exit and entry are made by lifting a corner of the covering and crawling under 

 as quickly as possible. Additional protection is had by building fires made of green boughs, which 

 produce a stifling smoke. 



The nets used in taking the fish are made of thread manufactured by twisting together the 

 tough fibrous root of a species of plant found in abundance along the banks of the river. They 

 are from thirty to sixty feet long and from four to five and one-half feet wide and are made with a 

 two to three inch mesh. The knot used in forming the mesh is the ordinary " fisherman's bend." 

 Sinkers are made from short pieces of reindeer antlers or bits of stone. The boats used by the 

 women in laying out the nets are made of spruce bark ingeniously fastened to a wooden frame by 

 thread made from the inner bark of the willow. The seams are made i^erfectly water-tight by 

 cementing them with melted spruce-gum. 



At the height of the fishing season some one is always on the lookout for a school of fish, and 

 when one is seen approaching the village — and the commotion in the water leaves no room for 

 doubt — two or three women leap into a boat, in which is a net all ready for laying out, and paddle 

 vigorously up stream until they reach a point about one hundred yards above the village. One 

 end of the net is now landed and held by some of the women on shore while the boat's head is 

 turned across stream. When all of the net has been laid out the boat is allowed to drift with the 

 current, and the shore end of the net being held stationary, the boat gradually approaches the 

 beach. When she grounds the women leap out and begin hauling in the net with its plunging, 

 flashing catch of salmon. Many escape by leaping over the top of the net, and to prevent this 

 the little boys rush into the water and, seizing the fish by their tails, throw them far out on the 

 beach. One of the amusing sights witnessed by our party while looking on at the hauling in of a 

 seine was the spectacle of a very small boy who had seized a very large salmon, whose vigorous 

 efforts to escape had reduced the plucky youngster to the necessity of piteously calling for help. 



The fishing season is a period filled with rare enjoyment to at least one class of the native 

 population. The old men who are too feeble to make the long journey to the coast and return are 

 left at home with the women, and do nothing but eat fish and sleep all the time. A fire is kept 

 going night and day, in which large round stones are heated and then thrown into a tub of water. 

 By this means the water is brought to the boiling point, when the stones are removed and replaced 

 by fish. An old woman superintends the cooking, armed with a huge spoon from the skull of the 

 mountain sheep. When she declares the feast ready everybody gathers around the fire, and after 

 the old men have been served the rest help themselves. The fish are eaten from small wooden 

 platters or shallow bowls. 



In addition to the method of catching fish with seines, as described above, the use of conical- 

 shaped willow traps is common. They are made to sink beneath the surface of the water and 

 with the entrance so constructed that the fish can easily get into the trap, but find it impossible 

 to get out. For some species of small fish, such as the grayling, trout, etc., a native fish-hook of 

 ingenious manufacture is used with great success. (See sketch, Figures 2 and 4, Plate II.) 



The salmon are cured and prepared for winter use by splitting them open and removing all 

 the oflfal, the head, and backbone. Transverse cuts are then made in the flesh and the body is 

 hung up to dry on racks placed along the beach. The roe is dried separately. I saw only one 

 instance of fish being buried to be sui)sequeutly exhumed and eaten when putrid. I do not believe 

 the custom is as common here as it is with the Yukon Eiver natives. 



Physical appearance. — The natives of the interior have, as a rule, rather dark complexions, 

 prominent cheek bones, large mouths, and a sharp chin, giving to the face a triangular appearance 

 very different from the round face of the coast Eskimo. Their hair is black and straight. It is 

 worn long except in front, where it is trimmed across the forehead on a line with the eyebrows. 

 They are quick in their movements, active and strong in youth, but grow aged-lookiug rapidly. 

 H. Mis. 602 



