Geographical. — Climatic. — Population. 33 



miles from east to west. That part of this immense interior region belonging 

 to AlasKa, is called by one of the very few who have aliemptcd to explore it, 

 "the great lone land." It is uninhabited except by a few thousand Eskimos 

 and Tinnehs, the highest Russian estimate being twenty thousand. Hut al] 

 subsequent information leads directly to the conclusion that this estimate great- 

 ly exceeds the reality. 



A Roman Catl-iolic Bishop went far up the river Yukon, with a view to in. 

 troduce missions, and returned discouraged. It is reported that he did make 

 the attempt at one point only; but of this I have no trustworthy information. 

 With the Russo-Greek church rests the responsibility of caring for these souls. 

 Let us not disturb it, or attempt to share it at present. With our limited re- 

 sources (if men and treasure, we are under obligation to use them to better 

 purpose than to expend them upon any portion of the human family so low in 

 the scale of intelligence, so little likely to become influential and so difficult of 

 access. If we had a surplus of money and men, we would find more impor- 

 tant fields along the lines of our present enterprises and among the dominating 

 races. Furthermore, it is impossible for us under the ordinary method of con- 

 ducting our mission work to reach these people. 



Th's gives you a glimpse of my reasons for discouraging any effort of ours 

 in these distant regions. At present it is inexpedient for us to attempt any 

 missionary enterprises there, 



CHARACTER OF THE TLINKETS. 



Let us return to the Tlinket people. Their accessibility and their universal 

 disposition to learn, are great advantages. They possess elements of charac- 

 ter which will make them the most useful and influential christians in Alaska. 

 In somj respects they equal the average civilized races. Physically the Tlink- 

 ets are a superior race. The women are inodest, fair and good looking. Their 

 dwellings are very large, durable, and could be easily transformed into forts. 

 Their mechanical skill enables them with few tools to execute a variety of the 

 plainer arts, which bear the test of criticism. They are not easily surpassed 

 in trade, and in the knowledge of goods. They conduct their bargainings 

 with great decorum. Bancroft says, that there are few uncivilized nations in 

 which the female sex has greater influence and commands greater respect. 

 One cause is that they are comparatively modest and chaste. Both old mej^i 

 and old women are respected. 



Lan?sdorff says that, "It is certain that industry, reserve, modesty and con- 

 jugal fidelity, are the general characteristics of the female sex among these 

 people." To sum up the character of the Tlinkets, they may be called brave, 

 shrewd, intelligent, industrious, lovers of art and music, respectful to women 

 and the aged, fond of sports and gambling, in superstition unmerciful and cred. 

 ulous, in war cruel and treacherous, yet placable; and in short, they possess 

 many of the virtues and some of the vices of all heathen races. [Bancroft's 

 Summary, Capt. Beanlslee's Letters, Hon. J. G. Swan's Reports, U. S. Mili- 

 tary Reports, Major Wm. G. Morris' Report, Rev. S. H. Youn^.] 



