DOMESTICATED REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 139 



hall, and asked what they wanted, and received the shot through the door. He 

 "walked into his room, shut the door, and said " I am shot," and fell to the floor dead. 

 His poor wife jumped from the hed frantic, afraid to go out and call anyhody. The 

 next morning, when the Indians heard of it, the one living in the house nearest to 

 her came up to the house with others and said they would protect her and take her 

 to Port Clarence. The Indians then turned out and got two of the Indians, marched 

 them up to the house, shot them and threw their hodies out near the flagstaff for 

 the dogs to eat. The third man had gone up the coast, hut he is doomed, tor they 

 will kill him, and they told Mr. Lopp they would hring his hody so as to let him see 

 that they had killed him, thereby testifying that they had no part iu killing Mr. 

 Thornton and did not sanction it. 



Mrs. Thornton is now on hoard, on her way to .her father's home in Maine. She 

 tells us the Indians were very kind to her; yet she did not feel secure until she was 

 with the Lopps. She passed the night alone after it happened, and the native: all 

 fled to the hills when they saw the cutter. She said, on her way to Port Clarence 

 the natives saw the vessel and she had hard work to keep them in the canoe. She 

 promised them she would tell the captain how good they were to her, and would 

 ask him to spare them and their families. She said they would not take a thing 

 from her, not even matches, which they so much prize, to show her that they did 

 not give her protection for pay. They would not come on hoard. 



After hurying Mr. Thornton we went to Port Clarence, took on hoard Mrs. Thorn- 

 ton and Mr. Lopp, and returned to Cape Prince of Wales to let her pack up her things. 

 While they were packing, the captain had made a large cross for a headhoard and a 

 footboard and placed them at the head and foot of the grave. It took Mrs. Thorn- 

 ton until 8 o'clock to get the things packed and placed on hoard. Mr. Lopp suggested 

 that, as the Indians were afraid to come on hoard, the captain go ashore for a talk 

 with the natives. He sent runners to inform the people he wished them to assemble 

 on the hcach, and they came as fast as their legs could carry them. The captain 

 then spoke of Mr. Thornton's death, and told them Mrs. Thornton and Mr. Lopp had 

 asked him to spare them, and, as they had taken the law in their own hands and 

 killed the murderers and had befriended Mrs. Thornton, he felt satisfied they 

 knew nothing of the murderous intent, etc. Had they not avenged Mr. Thornton's 

 death, he said he would have done so, and would not have left a single one of their 

 people alive, and that he would have followed them north and south, over mountains 

 and sea until everyone of them was killed or afraid to say they w r ere of Cape Prince 

 of Wales. Mr. Lopp says it is the first time in his experience with them that he ever 

 noticed any demonstration. They were more than eager to please the captain, and 

 exclaimed frequently and vehemently that they would hunt for and kill the man 

 who, although not active in Mr. Thornton's death, had fled. The captain did not 

 wish to second this death-hunt, but, as Mr. Lopp thought otherwise, he said nothing. 

 The fear of the cutter's reeking revenge on the village caused the swift and sure 

 killing of the murderers. The Indians had not slept from the time of the murder. 

 The captain told them he would place the houses in their care until some one came 

 up to take possession of them in the spring, and that he would then see if they were 

 sincere. They all gladly assumed the charge and were very grateful that they and 

 their families were spared. Mrs. Thornton will write you when she returns to her 

 home. She hears up bravely. I find her a very nice, sensible woman, and I like her 

 much. Poor soul! I cannot tell the dreadful agony she went through until she 

 found herself in the hands of friends. 



We are now at St. Michael, on our way to Unalaska (September 7). We have 

 taken on board from here 37 miners, one of the Catholic brothers, and Mr. Wilson, 

 so that you see in the cabin we are full. The miners say that Mr. Healy is a fine 

 man and will do well. He has labored under many difficulties, but is coming out 

 all right. The captain had a talk with Mr. Lopp about the distribution of deer to 



