A Canoe Voyage to Northward 



were common throughout the canoe waters, showing 

 that in this foodful, kindly wilderness, as in all the 

 world beside, man may be man's worst enemy. 



We discovered small bits of cultivation here and 

 there, patches of potatoes and turnips, planted mostly 

 on the cleared sites of deserted villages. In spring the 

 most industrious families sailed to their little farms 

 of perhaps a quarter of an acre or less, and ten or fif- 

 teen miles from their villages. After preparing the 

 ground, and planting it, they visited it again in sum- 

 mer to pull the weeds and speculate on the size of the 

 crop they were likely to have to eat with their fat 

 salmon. The Kakes were then busy digging their po- 

 tatoes, which they complained were this year injured 

 by early frosts. 



We arrived at Klugh-Quan, one of the Kupreanof 

 Kake villages, just as a funeral party was breaking up. 

 The body had been burned and gifts were being dis- 

 tributed — bits of calico, handkerchiefs, blankets, etc., 

 according to the rank and wealth of the deceased. 

 The death ceremonies of chiefs and head men, Mr. 

 Young told me, are very weird and imposing, with 

 wild feasting, dancing, and singing. At this little 

 place there are some eight totem poles of bold and 

 intricate design, well executed, but smaller than 

 those of the Stickeens. As elsewhere throughout the 

 archipelago, the bear, raven, eagle, salmon, and por- 

 poise are the chief figures. Some of the poles have 

 square cavities, mortised into the back, which are 

 said to contain the ashes of members of the family. 

 These recesses are closed by a plug. I noticed one 



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