80 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



tion ofteu threatens and sometiint's overtakes whole families at once. Except in the case of (Irving 

 sufficient lisli to last them from the time the rivers are frozen over until the winter hunting begins, 

 there does not appear to be the slightest attempt on the part of the natives to lay up any amount 

 of provisions in time of plenty to be used in case of accident or an unusual scarcity of game. The 

 cooking of these natives while living in their siiow houses is done by tilling a small wooden tub 

 with snow, which melts when brought in the heated air of the igloo, and is brought to the boiling 

 point by iilunging into it stones heated to redness in the flame of the stone lamp. The meat is 

 partially boiled by this means. 



When two or more parties happen to meet on one of these hunting expeditions they endeavor 

 to combine the lierds they are respectively following, and if successful they will thenceforth hunt 

 in company, looking upon the products of the chase as common i)roperty. Although most of 

 these natives are provided with fire-arms, the native spear and arrow, both fired from a bow, are 

 used iu hunting the reindeer. Fire-arms are objectionable both on account of the scarcity of 

 ammunition and the noise of discharge. 



Toward the last of the season, when the snow begins to leave the ground and the ice is melted 

 in the rivers and lakes, the reindeer begin to grow more restless and harder to herd, a grand hunt 

 is inaugurated. By a preconcerted avraugement the natives drive their several herds toward a 

 point, contriving to get then} all there about the same time. In the region near the headwaters 

 of the Kowak, Noitoe, and another river which native reports impress us with the belief is the 

 Colville, is a lake forming the headwaters of the latter stream. It is on the shores of this lake 

 that the grand annual hunt takes place. The reindeer are gradually heidcd together and partly 

 surrounded by tlie hunters, who then slowly contract their lines until the deer find tliimselves 

 inclosed on all sides except one, and that has been purposely left unguarded by the hunters. 

 When the movement has reached this stage the hunters rush forwanl, shouting and making 

 all the noise possible, for the purpose of stamiieding the deer. This is {.enerally successful, and 

 hundreds of the poor creatures plunge into the lake, for this is the only jioint by whi(!h escape 

 seems possible, and are followed by tlie hunters iu boats provided for tlie i)urpose and a carnival 

 of slaughter follows. 



With the opening of spring, when tlie ice in the rivers begins to break up and the snow has 

 melted to such an extent as to render traveling by sled any longer possible, the natives gather 

 iu small settlements along the banks of the larger rivers, erect summer houses or tupecs, the men 

 to hunt and trap, and the women to get ready their nets for the summer fishing. When the ice 

 finally leaves the rivers the hunters get ready their furs which have been collected during the 

 winter, and descend in open boats to the coast, where they meet white traders who come into the 

 Arctic duiing tiie summer season for the jturpose of barter. Usually these natives remain on the 

 coast either for the juirpose of trading or for pleasure, in taking part in the games and festivities, 

 attending the summer rendezvous until winter again comes on and the cold weather reminds them 

 that they must return to their inland homes. 



Meanwhile the women, who appear to be the only creatures of the body politic (not even 

 excepting the dogs) who have no season of rest, are busy witli the fishing. During exceptionally 

 open winters, when the ice in Kotzebue Sound moves offshore early in t lie spring, and thus allows the 

 ice-gorged rivers to free themselves, there are two runs of salmon, but when the ice remains packed 

 in close to the shore, as it usually does in Kotzebue Sound, until late in the season, only one run 

 takes place. This was the case during the season of 1SS4. We entered the river on the Sth day 

 of July, and at each of the fishing villages passed on our way up the lower river we found the 

 peoi)le .suttering for food on account of the late run of fish. Before wo turned to descend, however, 

 the salmon had arrived, and wo had ample opportunity for observing the methods in use with the 

 natives for capturing and curing the fish. The site of a fishing village is usually on a sand and 

 gravel beach near the water's edge and at a part of the river where the channel is contracted by 

 shoals. The houses at these villages are very simple affairs, made by planting a half dozen supple 

 willow wands into the ground in the form of a circle and then bending their upper ends toward the 

 (tenter and twisting them together basljetfashion to form the frame. Over this frame a covering 

 made of drilling or deer-skins is thrown and the house is complete. A jirimitive but serviceable 

 shelter from the hot sun and almost continuous lains of the summer season was observed at 



