INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 197 



It would be interesting- to investigate to what extent their supersti- 

 tious customs incline them to moralit}^ As far as I have been able to 

 observe, the religion of nature has a slight influence in making the 

 people altruistic, at all events as witnessed b}- the custom of distri])ut- 

 ing the whalebone and meat among* one's neighbors, a custom which 

 has a religious basis, as will appear in a later reference to traditions. 

 The evangelization which was begun by my predecessor and contiiuied 

 by myself ma}^ have, as I trust it does, a wholesome influence in sum- 

 moning the people to \\vq a more virtuous and righteous life. In con- 

 clusion. I would testify that I wonder, in view of their up))ringing in 

 heathen superstition, that they are not far worse than they are. 



RELIGION. 



The religion of the Massinga men is in a state of transition. Stone-s, 

 large and small, have a sacred value, but as " luck stones,'' not as idols. 

 Large rib l)ones of whales are placed in an upright position in the 

 ground, often four or more pieces planted at the corners of a square or 

 oblong. They serve as memorial posts at times; the pallbearers, aft(>r 

 a funeral service, embrace these posts seemingly in some purificatioji 

 ceremony, and then fasten to them small pieces of a seal rope which 

 has been used to bind deerskins around the corpse. I am convinced 

 that they are not idols. The reluctance of the people to explain their 

 purpose is not necessarily suspicious. 



A large stone, which formerly received much veneration from the 

 natives, who used to put viands near it when some member of their 

 household was sick, and also when the suflFerer recovered, was rcmovt'd, 

 against the strenuous protests of the people, by mj^ predecessoi', in 

 order to give place for a necessary building. They warned him that 

 he would die in consequence of this sacrilege, and the}^ told Abrahamsen 

 that Mr. GambelFs death l)y drowning a year ago was the dircn-t result 

 of this presumption. One of the natives, in answer to m}^ inquiries, 

 confirmed this view of the matter, and said further that there was a 

 similar stone which his father owned, and which was situated near one 

 of the numerous paths leading from the lake to the village. He would 

 not describe its location in detail, becoming very reticent as 1 asked 

 for its exact location. This stone is an object of reverence, Avhether 

 on the part of one household or of all I can not say, but I am inclined 

 to think that at least several families i-esort to it at times. The other 

 stone has been placed of late in an upright position in the yard l)y 

 some of the natives, but I have not ol)served anyone go to it. How- 

 ever, dogs might devour any viands placed there during the night. 

 Prima facie, this reverencing of stones indicates fetichism. I am 

 inclined to think that it is a survival from remote ages, when the 

 people were steeped in very gross superstition. At the present time 

 the people have generally advanced bej^ond fetichism. 



