ALASKA. 31 



aud uo trade whatever to mention, and commercially of less 

 importance than any one of the following points, in addition to 

 the list above, viz : Koskoquim, Nushagak, and Saint Michael's. 

 Even should trade ever be re-established in Sitka, it would con- 

 sist principally of the fur of marten, mink, and beaver, with 

 air-dried deer-skins ; but as matters now stand in the Territory, 

 there is no future for Sitka; a change only in the supervision of 

 the interest of the Government in that district can benefit it, 

 or make it worth the attention of a small trader to live there. 

 On this point I speak at length in my chapter on the duty of 

 the Government in this respect. 



The sum and substance of my investigations with reference 

 to the condition of the people of Alaska during the past season 

 maybe given briefly as follows: That the Indians are living 

 as usual, in nearly the same number and in the same condition 

 as when under Eussiau rule, with the marked and significant 

 exception that they have been under no restraint whatever by 

 government for the past five years, such as they were ac- 

 customed to have imposed upon them by the old regime, and 

 that this is rapidly making it troublesome and dangerous for 

 small traders to go in among them on the northwest coast. 

 Those in the vicinity of Sitka have become familiar with the pro- 

 cess of distillation of whisky from molasses, and make a large 

 amount of it openly, in addition to what they get by illicit 

 trading. 



The Christian Aleuts and Kodiakers are in, if anything, a 

 better condition than at the time of the transfer; some sec^ 

 tions, as at Ounalashka, in a greatly improved state, which is, 

 by the way, promised to all the rest in the course of a few 

 years, if proper, prompt steps are taken by Government. 

 But the condition of the small population of Creoles, chiefly at 

 Sitka, is changed very much for the worse ; they were store- 

 keepers, clerks, sailors, traders, artisans, &c., of the old com- 

 pany, and there is no longer any great demand for that labor 

 in the country, and not likely to be during their lives, at least; 

 they are unfortunate in not having the training or the energy 

 to make good hunters, for this is the only industry the Terri- 

 tory holds out for them. To say that they are now in spirit 

 and purse poor, is true, but still they are not in any physical 

 misery, the abundance of fish and game preventing such a re- 

 sult. From my observation and knowledge of them, I can truly 

 ' state that they are now in a better condition in the Territory, 



