RELATING TO PRIBILOF NATIVES. 601 



evidences of civilization wliicli require for tlieir support and mainte- 

 nance a constant and assured income. The villages as 

 viewed from the exterior are indicative of their present fo^^etc^^®^^"'^^' 

 plane of living and are such as may be seen in the 

 prosperous mining and manufacturing sections of our country, compris- 

 ing attractive churches, well-designed school-houses, commodious store- 

 houses, and comfortable dwellings, all built in regular order and painted 

 white. During the past twenty years the inhabitants have been con- 

 stantly supplied with and become accustomed to tlie use of the same 

 kind and quality of moral training, mental teaching, clothing, food, and 

 medicines as are supplied to and habitually used by our most prosper- 

 ous communities. If they must surrender these things 

 it means for them a relapse into barbarism; and the ^^Effert of destruction 

 destruction of the seal fisheries enforces the surrender. 

 They have no other source of income and know no other business than 

 that of seal-fishing. The income of the two seal-island 

 comn)unities, including only natives, has averaged ^im'^eration. 

 from 1868 to 1889, inclusive, more than $10,000 per annum in cash, and, 

 in addition, they have been furnished gratuitously with the houses they 

 occupy, nearly enough fuel to heat them, medicines and medical attend- 

 an(;e, school-houses, school books, and teachers. Their 

 moral and mental improvement have very nearly kept improvement '"''°*"'*^ 

 pace with the material comfort with which they have 

 been surrounded. The children have learned to read, write, and speak 

 English, and in general intelligence and household economy all have 

 made remarkable i^rogress. 



Is it true that people situated as these natives are acquire no vested 

 right in the i^roperty whereon they have iinmeniorially 

 gained their livelihood, which the Christian nations of tivea^n^theLaUierd." 

 the earth ought to respect? If it is true, then the pre- 

 cepts of Christianity bear still another and new interpretation. 



H. H. MclNTYRE. 



Sworn to and subscril)ed at Randolph, Vermont, this 1st day of Aug- 

 ust, A. D. 1892, before me. 



[L. s.] Wm. H. Du Bois, 



Notary Public. 



