82 
THROUGH WONDERLAND. 
but recently built village of Chilkats is clustered ; but, to see them in “all their 
glory,” the Chilkat river should be ascended to their principal village of Kluk- 
wan. 
Of this country,—the Chilkat and Chilkoot,—Mrs. Eugene S. Willard, the 
wife of the missionary presiding at Haines Mission, in Chilkoot Inlet, and who 
has resided here a number of years, writes in the Century Magazine , of 
October, 1885: 
“ From Portage Bay (of Chilkoot Inlet) west to the Chilkat river and southward 
to the point, lies the largest tract of arable land, so far as my knowledge goes, 
in Southeastern Alaska, while the climate does not differ greatly from that of 
Pennsylvania * * * Here summer reaches perfection, never 
sultry, rarely chilling. * * * In May the world and the sun wake 
up together. In his new zeal, we find old Sol up before us at 2:15 a. m., 
and he urges us on until 9:45 at night. Even then the light is only turned 
down ; for the darkest hour is like early summer twilight, not too dark for 
reading. 
“From our front door to the pebbly beach below, the wild sweet pea runs 
rampant ; while under and in and through it spring the luxuriant phlox, 
Indian rice, the white-blossomed ‘yun-ate,’ and wild roses which make redo¬ 
lent every breath from the bay. Passing out the back door, a few steps lead us 
into the dense pine woods, whose solitudes are peopled with great bears, and 
owls, and—T’linkit ghosts ! while eagles and ravens soar without number. On 
one tree alone we counted thirty bald eagles. These trees are heavily draped 
with moss, hanging in rich festoons from every limb ; and into the rich carpet¬ 
ing underneath, one’s foot may sink for inches. Here the ferns reach mam¬ 
moth size, though many of fairy daintiness are found among the moss ; and the 
devil’s walking stick stands in royal beauty at every turn, with its broad, grace¬ 
ful leaves, and waxen, red berries. 
“ Out again into the sunshine, and we discover meadows of grass and clover, 
through which run bright little streams, grown over with willows, just as at 
home. And here and there are clumps of trees, so like the peach and apple, 
that a lump comes into your throat. But you lift your eyes, and there beyond 
is the broad shining of the river, and above it the ever-present, dream-dispel¬ 
ling peaks of snow, with their blue ice sliding down and down. * 
“ The Chilkat people long ago gained for themselves the reputation of being 
the most fierce and warlike tribe in the Archipelago. Certain it is, that, 
between themselves and southern Hy-dah, there is not another which can com¬ 
pare with them in strength, either as to numbers, intelligence, physical perfec¬ 
tion, or wealth. *. * * The children always belong to their 
mother, and are of her to-tem. This to-temic relation is considered closer than 
that of blood. 'If the father’s and mother’s tribes be at war, the children must 
take the maternal side, even if against their father. * * * In very 
rare cases a woman has two husbands ; oftener we find a man with two wives, 
even three ; but more frequently met than either is the consecutive wife. 
