THE GREAT ALEUTIAN CHAIN. 175 



ment, especially so when stimulated by beer. If the apartment is 

 large enough, the figures of an old Russian quadrille are gone 

 through with, accompanied by indescribable grimaces and gro- 

 tesque side-shuffles of the dancers, the old women and young 

 men being the most demonstrative. Usually, however, a single 

 waltzing couple has the floor at one time, whirling around with the 

 liveliest hop-waltz steps, and as it settles down out of breath, a 

 fresh pair springs up from the waiting and watching circle. The 

 guests rapidly pass from their normal sedateness into the varying 

 stages that rotate between slight and intense drunkenness. 



These kvass orgies, on such occasions, are the only exhibitions 

 of disorder that the people of the Aleutian Islands and Kadiak ever 

 afford. At Belcovsky, and at every point where the sea-otter in- 

 dustry is most remunerative to the native hunter, there you will 

 find the greatest misery, due wholly to those beery birthday cele- 

 brations as sketched above. 



Some traders often give entertainments to the natives, in which 

 they wisely offer plenty of strong tea, with white sugar-lumps, and 

 nothing else ; these parties are quite reputable and highly en- 

 joyed by all concerned. The floor of the warehouse, or the living- 

 rooms of the trader himself, are cleared, and this allows ample 

 space for a full-figured cotillon or quadrille, or a dozen or two of 

 dancing couples. The ball-room of the chief trading-firm at 

 Oonalashka is a very animated and extensive prospect when an 

 evening-party of this sort is in fine motion. The familiar strains of 

 " Pinafore," the " Lancers," " John Brown," and " Marching through 

 Georgia," rise in piercing strength from the vigorous men and 

 women who are squeezing the accordions, and every now and then 

 a few of the young Aleutes break out into a short singing refrain, 

 using English words to suit the music, as they caper in the 

 high-tide of this festivity. It is the young men, however, only, 

 who thus vocalize ; the women, when sober, old and young, 

 are always silent, with downcast eyes, and are very abject in de- 

 meanor. 



The great feminine solace in a well-to-do native hut is recourse 

 to a concertina or accordion, as the case may be. These instru- 

 ments are especially adapted to the people. Their plaintive, slow 

 measure, when fingered in response to native tunes and old 

 Slavonian ballads, always rise upon the air in every Aleutian 

 hamlet, from early morning until far into night. An appreciation 



