The Project Gutenberg EBook of Trails and Tramps in Alaska and Newfoundland, by William S. Thomas This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license Title: Trails and Tramps in Alaska and Newfoundland Author: William S. Thomas Release Date: October 24, 2012 [EBook #41166] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRAILS AND TRAMPS IN ALASKA *** Produced by Pat McCoy, Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) cover By William S. Thomas [Pg i] Hunting Big Game with Gun and with Kodak Trails and Tramps in Alaska and Newfoundland G. P. Putnam’s Sons New York London Mother 'Possum and her Family Mother 'Possum and her Family TRAILS AND TRAMPS IN ALASKA AND NEWFOUNDLAND BY WILLIAM S. THOMAS AUTHOR OF “HUNTING BIG GAME WITH GUN AND KODAK” WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN ILLUSTRATIONS FROM ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS NEW YORK AND LONDON The Knickerbocker Press 1913 Copyright, 1913 BY WILLIAM S. THOMAS The Knickerbocker Press, New York To MY WIFE WHO SHARED NONE OF THE PLEASURES OF THE TRAIL AND BORE [Pg ii] [Pg iii] [Pg iv] ALL THE ANXIETIES FOR MY RETURN. PREFACE The matter here submitted has been accumulated upon several hunting trips in the wilderness, and many excursions from time to time into the woods and fields about home. The author has for some years kept more or less extensive field notes, and has taken numerous photographs of objects, scenes, or incidents by the way. Not all of the narrative is concerned with the chase, but all has to do with, or is in some way attributable to, the wanderlust that from boyhood days has cast its spell over the author at uncertain intervals, and from time to time, has compelled a pilgrimage nearer or farther into the regions of that freedom found only where man is not. If in the heart of the reader it sets vibrating again some chord once sounded by the breath of the forest, or stirs to harmony some strings hitherto not attuned to the music of the great outdoors, the mission of this volume will not have been vain, for it will then have assisted in a modest way the interpretation of that medium of expression of which Bryant has said, “To him who in the love of nature holds Communion with her visible forms, she speaks A varied language.” W. S. T. Pittsburgh, Pa., March, 1913. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Cruising and Hunting in Southeastern Alaska 1 II Observations on Kodiak Island 64 III Hunting Big Game on the Kenai Peninsula 123 IV A Trip to Newfoundland 181 V Hunting with a Ferret 222 VI A Night Hunt 238 VII In the Springtime 247 VIII A Plea for Protection 305 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Mother ’Possum and her Family Frontispiece Ketchikan 3 Myriads of Salmon 5 “Father” Duncan 7 Metlakatla 8 Guest House 9 “Father” Duncan’s Church 10 Where the Indians Roamed 11 Street Scene in Metlakatla 12 Metlakatla Belles 13 [Pg v] [Pg vi] [Pg vii] [Pg viii] [Pg ix] Indians Cheering the Secretary 15 Totems at Sitka 18 Indian War Canoe 20 Petersburg 22 Streams of Crystal Water 23 Lighthouse near Dixon’s Entrance 26 Sitka 27 Priests of the Greek Church at Sitka 28 Fairweather Range 30 Upper Ice Fields 31 The Author Looking into a Crevasse 33 Native Women Trading 35 Mother and Babe 36 Playing in the Sand 37 Native Boys out Gunning 38 Sunset near St. Elias 39 Cape St. Elias 41 Hinchinbrook Island 44 Valdez after the Flood 45 Bruin in a Steel Trap 46 Salmon Running up Stream to Spawn 49 Killing Fish with a Club 50 Gulls Feeding on Salmon 51 A Good Fisherman 52 Dogs Fishing for Salmon 53 Indian Hut 55 Indian Graves 56 Indian Women Repairing the Bidarka 57 Sunrise 60 Our Permanent Camp 61 An Island near Valdez 65 Sea Lion Rocks 67 Seward 68 Seldovia 69 Turbulent Shellicoff 71 The Ravens 72 Kodiak 79 Gull Island 80 Forget-me-nots 81 Crow’s Nest and Young 82 Nests of Eagle and Magpie 83 Eagle Watching for Prey 85 Eagle’s Nest and Young 86 First Sight of Day 88 Sea Parrot Incubating 90 Sea Parrot’s Nest and Egg 91 [Pg x] [Pg xi] Characteristic Nest of "Gygis" 93 Nest and Eggs of Herring Gull 94 Our Camp among the Cottonwoods 97 An Extinct Crater where the Bear Hibernate 101 Where he fell 103 Stretched Bear Skins 105 Indian Barabara 108 Kodiak Island Pinks 109 Kenai River 129 Lining the Boat 133 Mid-day on the Kenai 137 "Porky" 141 The Tonsorial Artist at Work 144 Ready for the Start 147 Approaching the Low Pass 149 Home of the White Sheep 151 Seeking a Ford 155 Ptarmigan 167 A Bath in Lake Skilak 174 Bay of Islands 185 Constructing a Raft 186 One Took to the Woods 187 One of the Others 188 Trailing Arbutus 190 Spotted Sandpiper’s Nest 192 Merganser’s Nest 194 Nest of Wilson’s Thrush 195 Learning to Swim 199 Out for Themselves 200 Learning to Walk 201 Reflections 202 Radiant Splendor 206 Whiskey Jack 208 Nest and Eggs of the White-Throated Sparrow 209 Bunchberries 213 The “Steady” 215 Solitude 217 Breakfast Head on the Humber River 219 Color Blending 224 Putting in the Ferret 226 His Last Nibble 229 In Hot Pursuit 230 Picked up 231 Down the Old Fence 233 The Dog Listening to the Last Sound 235 Did he Come out? 236 [Pg xii] [Pg xiii] The Hunting Party 239 Dog and Coon in the Mix-up 244 Home of the Cardinal 249 Cardinal’s Nest and Eggs 252 Winter in the North 254 Indigo Bunting’s Nest with Cowbird’s Egg 256 The Young Interloper 258 A Well-Constructed Home 259 Madam Vireo at Home 260 The Usurper 262 Young Flickers 265 Nest and Eggs of Tanager 267 Little Green Heron’s Nest 268 Little Green Heron’s Nest 269 Leaving the Nest 270 Nest and Eggs of Grosbeak 272 Nestlings 273 Fledglings 274 Tom at the Nest 275 Nest and Eggs of Blue-Gray Gnat-Catcher 276 Nest and Young of Goldfinch 277 Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly on Queen Anne’s Lace 278 Young Goldfinch 280 Nest of Red-Wing Blackbird 282 Young Red-Wing Blackbirds 283 Homes of the Cliff Swallows 285 Nest of the Song Sparrow 287 A Tragedy in Nature 288 Wood-Thrush 289 Nest and Eggs of Wood-Thrush 290 Up a Stump 291 Wood-Thrush’s Nest with Young 292 Nest and Eggs of American Redstart 294 Lady Redstart and her Home 295 Nest and Eggs of Blue-Winged Warbler 296 Young Woodpeckers Foraging 297 Nest and Eggs of the Thrasher 299 On Night Turn 300 Young Thrasher 301 A Delightful Place 306 Caught 307 Nest and Eggs of Ruffed Grouse 313 Not Certain 315 A Sure Point 317 Orchard Nest of Mourning Dove 318 [Pg xiv] [Pg xv] Two Little Turtle-Doves 320 Trails and Tramps in Alaska and Newfoundland CHAPTER I CRUISING AND HUNTING IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA In the midst of the rustling and bustling on the pier, the creaking of the block and tackle, and the hoisting of the duffel, could be heard the loud, clear voice of the mate resounding in the evening twilight, “Heave to!” “That’s well,” and similar expressions, all preparatory to our departure for the far-away North, the land of glaciers, gold, and fish. In the crowd were many sorts and conditions of men—and not the least in evidence were the sturdy Norseman and the Scottish clansman,—some on pleasure bent, some in search of the mighty beasts of the forest, still others seeking their fortune in the vast gold-fields stretching on and on into the great unknown beyond the Arctic Circle. Among the ever-changing groups of humanity, my attention was attracted to one, the center of which was a young man about one and twenty. As the time drew near for our departure, around him gathered four or five young ladies, who to all appearances were in sore distress. An only brother, perhaps, was about to leave home and friends to seek his fortune in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The old father, grizzled and gray, stood by with dejected countenance and folded hands, the very picture of despair. Presently one of the girls—the boy’s sweetheart, as I afterwards learned,— unable longer to stand the strain, threw her arms about her lover and wept bitterly. What expressions of sadness upon the faces of those left behind as the lamplight casts its pallid rays over them! And now one staggers and falls into the arms of a friend. Then what a look of grief upon the face of the young man peering over the ship’s rail! Such is the pathos of life at every turn, could we but see it. Ketchikan Ketchikan On board the steamer was the Hon. Walter L. Fisher, Secretary of the Interior, and his party, consisting of his son Walter, Alfred H. Brooks, of the Geological Surveys Committee, Governor W. E. Clark of Alaska, and reporters of various newspapers. Their mission was to investigate the condition and wants of the people of Alaska. The genial and pleasant old sea-dog, Captain Michael Jansen, was at the helm as the steamer wedged her way towards the north. For some two hundred miles we skirted the eastern shore of Vancouver Island, lined to the water’s edge with hemlock, spruce, and cedar, through which occasionally bluish-white streaks of water came tumbling down the mountain-side, each adding its own particular charm to the scenery. The English Government has erected along the coast many lighthouses for the protection of navigation, but after we passed through Dixon’s Entrance into Uncle Sam’s domain, very few of these were to be seen. Our Government seems to have given too little attention to this matter. [Pg 1] [Pg 2] [Pg 3] [Pg 4] Myriads of Salmon Myriads of Salmon The first stop on the way north was Ketchikan, a little village nestled snugly at the foothills, with its hospital, saloons, and all the usual adjuncts of a mining town. It has a population of some five hundred souls, whose principal occupation consists of fishing and mining. The most interesting thing to sightseers was a stroll up the boardwalk laid along a narrow winding stream that has its origin in the snow-capped mountains. Pitching, tossing, and foaming it hurried down the narrow gulch, seeking its level in the briny deep. It was alive with myriads of salmon, jumping and leaping in their mad rush to the spawning ground. In the dawn of the following morning the boat plowed its way through the green waters of the Strait toward Annette Island, a strip of land covered to the water’s edge with fir and cedar trees. The island is some six miles long, and at the extreme end, on a small, gently sloping plateau, is the little town of Metlakatla, which boasts a population of about a thousand persons. It has its own canneries, saw-mills, and other industries, and the people seem to be happy and contented. At the head of the colony is Rev. William Duncan, who has done much for the uplift of the many tribes of Indians in this locality. Father Duncan Father Duncan “Father” Duncan relates that more than half a century ago, when a young man of twenty-five, he was living in England. Upon his ordination as a minister of the Established Church, Alaska was assigned him as the field of his future life-work. His passage was paid and he arrived at Victoria after a nine-months trip. The old man was very much agitated in relating his early experience. On reaching Victoria, he of course desired to enter at once upon his active duties, but the head official of the town and the captain of the boat used every means in their power to persuade him from going among the Indians, urging that they were bloodthirsty savages and would surely kill him. He told them that he was assigned to [Pg 5] [Pg 6] [Pg 7] [Pg 8] the field by the Board and could not think of changing his plan without an order from his superiors, to procure which would require at least two years. He must get to his labor of love right away. However, he made one request of the officer in charge of the fort, and it was this: he would like to spend about nine months with them in the stockade, and wished they would send for the brightest young man of the most powerful tribe, so that he might learn the language before going among the savages. They granted his request, and in nine months he was ready to deliver his first sermon. Metlakatla Metlakatla Guest House Guest House The Indians were divided into various tribes, each at war with the other. He thought if he could succeed in getting the chiefs together and could tell them the Word of God in their own language, he would more readily win their confidence and esteem. So he requested his interpreter to call together all the chiefs to one central point, where he would deliver his first sermon. “But oh!” he said, “when I saw before me the assembled braves, decorated in all the colors of the rainbow, my courage left me, and turning to my teacher, I begged of him to deliver the message I had so carefully prepared to the gathered tribesmen. But he positively refused, and told me his intrusion might cause a war, for the tribes were very jealous of the power and influence of their neighbors. Then I took courage and when I had spoken, oh! what an effect it had upon them! Bodies were rigid and eyes seemed as though they would pierce me through and through. The results were striking. They gathered around in little groups, earnestly discussing the truths made known to them and wondering who could be and whence came this strange white man who spoke their own tongue. [Pg 8] [Pg 9] [Pg 10] "Father" Duncan's Church “Father” Duncan’s Church “From that day I became absorbed in my work. For thirty years I labored among them at Old Metlakatla, when one day I was told that the natives did not own the land and that the title was vested in the Queen of England. The Indians could not understand how a sovereign whom they had never seen could own the land over which they and their ancestors had roamed for centuries, fishing, hunting, and trapping. Where the Indians Roamed Where the Indians Roamed [Pg 11] Street Scene in Metlakatla Street Scene in Metlakatla “I went down to Vancouver to examine into the matter, and the Premier and Attorney-General advised me that such was the case. I was fearful lest when the Indians learned this fact they would go on the war-path and kill every white man in the country. I wrote a long letter to them explaining conditions and saying that I would be back home to Old Metlakatla as soon as I could. Shortly afterwards, much to my surprise, a committee came to Vancouver to confer with me. When I saw them I was greatly excited for fear they had decided upon war. When I inquired of them what had been done at the meeting, they refused to tell me, so that I was considerably worried over the matter. Although it was late in the evening, I went immediately to the Attorney-General’s home to advise him of the situation. I told him I would give him all the information I had that evening, but to-morrow, after I had learned the action taken, I could not divulge a single word. I did not sleep much that night, and in the morning, when I met the committee, imagine my relief when they told me they had decided to leave English territory and seek a new home under the Stars and Stripes. Shortly after that I went to Washington to arrange matters, if possible, for a new location. I finally succeeded; the United States Government gave Annette Island to my people for their home, and here we have built the new Metlakatla.” Metlakatla Belles Metlakatla Belles “Father” Duncan does not believe in educating the Indian children as they are taught at Carlisle and similar institutions. Once while he was visiting Carlisle at Commencement time, the orator of the day advised a graduating class to go out among the white people and do as the whites did. Speaking of the occasion, he remarked: “I thought as I listened, ‘Oh, what a mistake for them to leave their fathers and mothers, now too old to work, and become worthless and idle, unfitted for the duties of life!’” With deep emotion the old man pointed across the woods toward the cemetery, and said: “Over yonder lie the remains of about thirty young men, the pick of their tribe, who attended such schools, [Pg 12] [Pg 13] [Pg 14] adopted the white man’s mode of living, and contracted tuberculosis, to which they fall ready victims. They are by nature so constituted that they require outdoor life and outdoor exercise.” While “Father” Duncan was talking, the Secretary of the Interior came out of the Town Hall, where he had been holding a conference with the Town Council, and he and “Father” Duncan walked down the boardwalk toward the cannery and from there to the boat. As the steamer was about to depart, the passengers gave three rousing cheers for the grand old man who had spent fifty-five years of useful life among these simple children of nature. Scarcely had the echo of the last cheer resounded from the hills about the bay, when, as the steamer left the wharf, the Indians gave three mightier cheers for the Secretary and another three for Governor Clark. Indians Cheering the Secretary Indians Cheering the Secretary About midnight of the third day the fog-horn began to blow, repeating the blast every ten minutes or more, and the engine bells tinkled, tinkled all through the night. Sleep being out of the question, we were up early the next morning, and to our great surprise were informed by the pilot that the Wizard of the Northern Sea had been caught in the fog and had traveled scarcely a mile; in fact, we were obliged to return from the Narrows and wait for the fog to lift. As the old pilot expressed it: “Great Golly! it was a bad night, without a place to throw the anchor and the current running miles an hour.” The old sea-dog had a fine face, carved with stern lines. As he related with his Danish accent the stories of how two men-of-war and several other vessels had met their doom in those waters, hundreds on board going down, the little group was all attention. Even as he talked, he pointed out the partly concealed rocks where the men-of-war had met their fate, and over which the water now broke in innocent-looking ripples. After thirteen hours waiting for flood tide and the lifting of the fog, we steamed slowly through Wrangel Narrows. What a sight as the sun dispelled the fog! I have seen at night in a puddling mill a ball of molten metal on its way from the furnace to the “squeezers” and, when “soused” with water, emitting a blue flame and vapor. The sun at Wrangel Narrows was such a ball of molten metal, while the fog clinging to the leeward side of the mountain peaks was the vapor, and the peaks and crags with heads towering far above the clouds were the stacks and beams of a monster mill. Occasionally as we glide along, aquatic birds soar through the air in search of their morning meal; blackfish sport in the water, their fins cutting the surface as they disappear into the depths; and now a little snipe, flying around and around, trying to alight on the vessel, causes a stir among the passengers. A short distance away appears the head of a seal, evidently in search of its prey, and the leaping fish tell the rest of the story. How many things appeal to the lover of nature! On account of the swift current and concealed rocks, the Narrows can be navigated with safety only in daylight, and I learned that the policy issued by marine insurance companies contains a clause under which no recovery can be had in event of accident to a steamer while passing through the Narrows by night. Here and there lay an old hull cast high and dry on the rocks, after being tossed and pitched about in the powerful currents until it was battered and broken out of all resemblance to a boat. The old Portland was pointed out in the distance, not yet a complete wreck, her mast erect, hull submerged, and the breakers booming and splashing over her. A feeling of sadness came over at least one of the party at the pleasant recollections of a former hunting trip made on the Portland with the big-hearted and greatly beloved Captain Moore, who has since passed over the Great Divide. [Pg 15] [Pg 16] [Pg 17] [Pg 18] Totems at Sitka Totems at Sitka Indian War Canoe Indian War Canoe Wrangel, the next port of entry, was reached in due time. To the tourists the most noteworthy objects are the totem- poles. Indian totem-poles are erected in even the smallest Indian settlements along the coast as far north as Sitka. Visitors are always interested in their picturesque carving. All kinds of grotesque figures of birds, animals, and fish are cut into the smooth surface of trees after the bark is removed. Contrary to what seems to be a very general belief, the natives do not worship totem-poles as idols, but regard them as a sort of family register. When a great event takes place, in order that it may be commemorated, they erect a totem; a successful hunter in the tribe becomes well known for his deeds of valor,—straightway he selects a family crest and up goes his totem, tinted with all the colors of the rainbow. Sometimes the poles illustrate legends handed down from generation to generation,—the stories and traditions of this simple-minded people. Ages ago, according to “Father” Duncan, the Indians adopted totems or crests to distinguish the social clans into which the race is said to be divided, and each clan is represented symbolically by some character, such as the finback whale, the grizzly bear, the frog, the eagle, etc. All Indian children take the crest of their mother and they do not regard the members of their father’s family as relatives. Therefore a man’s heir or his successor is not his own son, but his sister’s son. Not often can an Indian be persuaded to rehearse to a stranger the story represented by the carvings on a pole. Here is a legend which is told of one totem-pole: A very long time ago an old chief with his wife and two small children pitched his wigwam at the mouth of a stream when the salmon were running to spawn. The old squaw, in order to get some spruce boughs with which to gather salmon eggs, pushed her bidarka, or sealskin boat, into the water, and telling her two little papooses to get into the boat, paddled them across the stream. As she pulled the bidarka up on the other shore she instructed the children to remain in the boat till she returned. She came back in a short time with her load, only to discover that the children were gone. Many times she called to them, but [Pg 19] [Pg 20] [Pg 21] always they answered to her from the woods with the voices of crows, and when she tried to follow them they would keep calling to her from some other direction. She returned to the boat again, gave up the children for lost, and going back to the wigwam reported to the chief that an old white trapper with a big beard had carried away the two little children. To commemorate this event they had a totem-pole carved to show the beard of the white trapper, and frequently point it out as an example to refractory children. Our next stop was at Petersburg, a typical Alaskan town, with its cannery, saw-mill, and myriads of herring gulls on the wing and on the water. The old totem-poles which had stood for many, many years, worn almost smooth by the constant beating of the elements, excited a great deal of curiosity, and made one wish for some occult power wherewith to read the mysteries of the past. At one pole the party, consisting of several doctors, was much absorbed, and after considerable study deciphered the figure of an old witch doctor carved on the top and below it what seemed to be a squaw, which they interpreted as very suggestive of the operation of laparotomy. Petersburg Petersburg A few miles from Petersburg we saw the first ice floe with its deep marine coloring, floating slowly towards the open sea. Two days and nights of continual rain were very oppressive and trying on sociability, but when the welcome sun reappeared, how enjoyable was the contrast! The mountain-sides in the foreground, clad with verdure from the base half way to the snowy summit, had for a background the arched dome of the heavens, filled with vari-colored clouds. Here and there streams of crystal water coursed down the mountain-side, whence each took a final leap over the rocks into the boiling and seething maelstrom, throwing spray in every direction. Streams of Crystal Water Streams of Crystal Water [Pg 22] [Pg 23] An interesting visit was had to the Treadwell mine, where the voice of man could not be heard above the noise of the many stamp mills pounding away, crushing the low-grade ores. At six o’clock the day shift is leaving the mines and the night force entering. As the up cage discharges its load of human freight the down cage is ready, packed so tightly that it would be almost impossible for a passenger to turn sideways. Down into the perpendicular shaft for several hundred feet the miners descended, and from there they scattered through the entries drifted out underneath the bay, where the best paying rock is to be found. Juneau, the capital of Alaska, almost directly across from the mines, was our next stopping-place. The deck hands, at the command of the first officer, threw out the gang-plank. Before it was rightly adjusted, the crowd was waiting eagerly to get ashore. The dock was wet and slippery, for it was raining as usual, the low-hanging clouds shutting out the view of the snow-covered mountain-tops in the background. All hunters in the party made straightway for the Governor’s office to secure licenses at fifty dollars apiece, which entitled each one to shoot two bull moose. But in order that a trophy may be brought out of Alaska, the Act of Congress makes it obligatory to pay an additional fee of one hundred and fifty dollars. It seems to me absurd to permit the killing of moose and to encourage leaving the trophies where they fall. A subsequent experience on the Kenai River bore out this conclusion very forcibly. On the river we came across a party of hunters from Texas who had killed a very large moose having a noble spread of horn. The body was left to rot on the shore. One of our party who did not care to shoot would gladly have taken the trophy home to decorate his den, but the one hundred and fifty dollars was strictly prohibitory. I am satisfied this party killed several moose and left them because the trophies would not justify the additional cost of bringing them out. We spent several hours in Juneau sending cablegrams and watching a black bear chained in the middle of the main street. He was walking around and around, as though guarding the entrance to the town. Every person passing kept a safe distance, but occasionally a visitor unawares approached too near and afforded fun for the onlookers when he made a desperate get-away. Lighthouse near Dixon's Entrance Lighthouse near Dixon’s Entrance Sitka Sitka [Pg 24] [Pg 25]