THROUGH WONDERLAND. 
67 
ever since. They have built their houses now around the Killisnoo settle¬ 
ment ; and, although Captain Merriman left the Territory some time ago, 
they all speak of him as the best of tyees, and the settlers say that the 
naval battle of Killisnoo has made life and property more secure through¬ 
out the Territory.” / 
At present the inland passage in the Territory and British Columbia 
is as safe from Indians as Broadway, in New York City, or State street, 
Chicago. In no place in the world of which I know, or have ever heard, 
are the facilities for studying Indian life so good for those who only spend 
a tourist’s jaunt among them. Many people along the far Western rail¬ 
roads will remember seeing here and there a dirty group of assorted Indians, 
begging for alms, and taking full advantage of all the silver-plated sympathy 
showered upon them in that metal; for they were parts of the curious scenes to 
behold. Generally they were a slim delegation from some far-away agency, and a 
person living in Washington, where the Indian chiefs occasionally visit in their 
full regalia, would have a better chance to see typical Indians than the tourist, 
unless he left the roaa and visited their agencies, a journey of toil and trouble, 
and less welcome if the agent be a stranger. Alaska is widely different. From 
its mountainous, Alpine nature, living inland is out of the question ; and the 
Indians seek the few narrow beaches and low points scattered here and there 
through the inland passage as the places whereon to build their little villages, 
and these are in as full view to the passing steamer as New York and Brooklyn 
are to a boat going up or down the East river channel. At rarer intervals 
more extensive plats of level or rolling land have been found ; and at some of 
these, in proximity to certain places where business pursuits are carried on, 
white men have erected their little towns ; and around these, again, the Indians 
have clustered their curious cabins in the most friendly way, giving the greatest 
access to tourists during even the short time that vessels stop at the ports to 
load and unload their freight. At Wrangell, Sitka, Pyramid Harbor, etc., are 
to be seen villages of Stickeens, Sitkas, Chilkats, Kootznahoos, etc., in close 
juxtaposition. In the Polaris , of Portland, Oregon, under date of November 
19, 1881, I find the following description of the old Stickeen village, just below 
Wrangell, from the pen of the Rev. Dr. Lindsley, a well-known divine and mis¬ 
sionary of the Northwest : 
“ The next day we went to the site of the old Stickeen town. It was 
a beautiful situation, looking out upon the sea, sheltered and with sunny 
exposure. In the bay were several islands. One of them was kept sacred 
as a burial place. The tombs were visible at a distance. These were strong 
boxes raised above the ground for protection, built in the shape of houses, 
sometimes painted, and within which the remains are deposited. We could 
not but admire the rude taste, as well as the sentiments which were thus 
conveyed. The buildings were falling into decay; but enough remained to 
impress us with the fact that their mechanical skill was of no recent origin. The 
Stickeens have occupied the site for generations past ; and here were immense 
