Native Turkish Baths 



The Russians, who owned Alaska before they 

 sold the country to America, introduced amongst 

 other things the steam bath. Some of the native 

 huts or houses have an annexe built out from the 

 shack proper, where such a bath can be indulged 

 in. The one I tried was not much larger than a 

 big dog-kennel, so low at the opposite side to that 

 on which the wall of the house made another side, 

 that I could only manage to sit upright on the 

 floor with difficulty on account of the rafters 

 hitting me on the head. The method of heating 

 this structure was primitive but effective. One 

 or more huge stones were put on the house 

 fire until they were white hot ; they were then 

 picked up by a squaw with a pair of wooden tongs 

 and deposited in a corner of the sweat-house, 

 where they made a glowing heat. A bucket of 

 water was provided, in which a bunch of tied-up 

 birch twigs was placed. You undressed in the 

 house, which the occupants were good enough 

 to vacate for that purpose ; and then crawled 

 into the dog-kennel through a square hole, which 

 you covered up with a board after entering. Then 

 you sprinkled the stones with water from the 

 bucket. Heat ! That promised to cook me 

 rapidly, the steam nearly took my breath away, 

 and I had to lie down flat on my back to endure 

 it at all ; but the purpose for which I entered 

 the place was I can vouch for thissatisfactory. 

 I emerged in about ten minutes feeling more like 



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