THE ALEUTS I 69 



surroundings. Population entered these islands from the 

 eastward, that is, from the continent, and little by little 

 spread along the chain of islands. Many hints as to the 

 change and development in the people and their ways 

 of life have been found by Dr. Dall in the shell heaps 

 which he has so carefully studied, and on which he has 

 reported so fully and so entertainingly. 



The Aleuts of to-day are not only greatly changed from 

 their primitive conditions by the partial civilization forced 

 on them by the Russians during the period of their occu- 

 pation, but they are also modified by a considerable infu- 

 sion of Russian blood due to that occupation. 



Away from the settlements, however, they still live 

 somewhat in their old fashion, and at the remoter villages, 

 such as Kashega, Chernofski, and Akutan, occupy the 

 barabara, an 



high, with a 

 roof sloping 



up to a height of about six feet, where it becomes flat again. 

 Such houses are from twelve to fifteen feet wide, and 

 from eighteen to twenty long; the door is in one end, and 

 in the middle of the flat roof is a smoke hole, two feet 

 long by 18 inches wide, immediately above the fire- 

 place. At a distance of about four feet from the side 

 walls of the house a stout pole is laid on the ground for 

 the whole length of the structure; between this pole and 

 the wall the ground is covered with hay or straw, form- 

 ing the sleeping places. At the back of the house and 

 thus opposite the door, in several of these houses that I 

 entered, was a small altar, bearing a cross, and before it a 



BARABARA OR NATIVE ALEUT HOUSE AT UNALASKA. 



