The Indians of the Yukon and Tanana Valleys, Alaska

ISBN: 9781332143542 出版年：2016 页码：46 Matthew K Sniffen Thos Spees Carrington Forgotten Books

Scattered along the Yukon and Tanana Rivers, in small villages, there are upward of 5000 Indians. From Eagle down to Nulato there is practically no difference in their customs and habits; the condition of the people and the village as found at one place was typical of nearly all the rest. All these natives are, and have been, self-supporting. In winter they go back into the hills for game. They eat the meat and sell the furs — and some of them realize a goodly sum from their winter's work. In the summer the Indians scatter along the river in small camps, for the fish (mostly of the salmon variety) that run up the river. Their catches are cured by a smoke and air process and then packed in bales. The king salmon forms an import ant part of their food Supply, while the dog salmon is kept for their own animals or sold to the whites. All winter travel is by dog team, and dried fish is the principal canine diet. Where an Indian makes a good catch of fish and has more than is needed for his own dogs, he can find ready market for his surplus stock, at an average price of 20 or 25 cents a pound. The fish are mostly caught in the large net-wheels, which work automatically by' the swift current, once they are properly set in motion. All that the Indian needs to do after that is to harvest his crop and hold it for the demand that is sure to come.