52 OUR ARCTIC PROVINCE. 



of many shades of startling disgust, cause you to speedily tvu'n and 

 gladly seek, with no delay, the outer stairway, even though a tem- 

 pest of rain and wind is beating down (with that fury which seems 

 to be most pronounced in violence here as compared with the rest 

 of the world, when it does storm in earnest). Here again it is not 

 pleasant for us to tarry even in fair weather, inasmuch as the Ko- 

 loshian has no idea of sewerage or of its need, the refuse — slops, 

 bones, shells, fish-debris, and a medley of similar and worse nui- 

 sances are lazily thrown out of this doorway on either side and 

 straight ahead, as they are from the entrance to every other 

 rancherie in the village. A merciful growth of rank grass and 

 mighty weeds charitably covers and assimilates much, but yet the 

 atmosphere hangs heavy around our heads — we move away. 



On ordinary occasions a head-covering is usually dispensed with, 

 unless it be some old hat of our style. The squaws, however, fashion 

 and often wear grass hats, made as they weave their line basket- 

 ware; they have the form of an obtuse cone, generally ornamented 

 by conventional designs painted in black, blue, or red. The feet 

 are almost invariably bare— too wet for moccasins. Painting the 

 face is a very common practice ; vermilion is the favorite pigment, 

 and is usually rubbed in without the least regard to pattern or 

 effect ; blue and black colors also are used in the same manner, but 

 I have never seen their limbs or bodies so treated, which is the 

 common method of meat-eating savages, who always paint them- 

 selves with great care as to exact and symmetrical design. Here 

 the faces of Alaskan Siwashes are thus daubed for the dance or for 

 mourning ; especially hideous are the mixtures of spruce-gum 

 grease, and charcoal which yon observe smeared over the counte- 

 nances of the Sitkans, who do so chiefly to prevent unpleasant effects 

 of the sun when it happens to shine out upon them as they are fish- 

 ing or paddling extended journeys in their canoes, and who also 

 give you ah ugly reminder of their being in mourning by the same 

 application. 



Bracelets are beaten-out pieces of copper or brass wire and 

 silver coins, highly polished, and worn chiefly by the women, who 

 often carry several upon each arm. When worn upon the ankles 

 they are forged in round sections, while for the wrist they are made 

 quite flat. Tattooing once was universal, but is now going out of 

 style ; and, until quite lately, the females all- wore labrets in the 

 lower lips — this disgusting distortion is also being abated. Only 



