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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1884)
4. THE WEST SHORE. 142 has been fiminl in use among various tribes of American Indians, especially thoHB living among the dense native forests, nnd it in cited by ethnologists ns one of the indi cations of ii common ancestry for ninny of the aboriginal tribes. In lux "Song of Hiawatha," Longfellow says: Ami Ihi-y mi ii l I on t lit Knivi- itn Of I In- irniviiN )it iinfiirtfiilti'ti, Kuril Ii im own HiK'M'tra! tnli'iii, Kih-Ii I Im nyiuliiil uf liin limiwhuM, KiKUnw uf llii' lHiir imil n'inilii'r, Of I In ttirlli. crntiiiHi.il lii'iivi'r. The Sitka Indians, as do many others of the northern tnlics, carve their household symliols, anil in this work give evidi'iice of considerable artistic ability, the sculp turing in many instances being very intricate and ex tremely lifelike. The tribes are divided into families, and each has its totem stick erected in front of the house of tlie head of the family. The size of the stick nnd amount of curving indicaU the wealth and import ance of tlm Missessor. They vary from two to five feet in thickness, and often are sixty feet high. Where fami lies intermarry the symbols are Mended or independently carved on the same stick, causing many curious combina tions and intermingling of devices. The most common Hollies are the clinic, raven, alligator nnd lish; there nre mIso heads of men, birds and beasts of all descriptions, iib well as many cabalistic Hymlxils, which nre nppnrently arbitrary in their significance. These works of nrt nre produced at great exicnse, often costing from $1,000 to 12.0(H). A chief who lias asserted his imjxirtimce by procuring one of these wooden coats-of-nrum, usually celebrates the occasion by giving n "potlatcli," n word of tin "Chin.K.k jargon," signifying the promiscuous dis tribution of giftK. On such occasions blankets, arms nnd valuables of all kinds nre lcstwcd uimn the assembled multitude with h lavish hand, the donor not infrequently inioverishing himself by his IwVrality. Hitkn, the capital of Alaska if such h Win mny be npi.li.sl to a region which has no civil government-is the oldest settlement on the Pacific (W north of Cnli fonim, will, the exception of n few stations established by Itiissian nr trmlers a. g the Aleutian Islands nnd t r.nc,M,lha,.,'s Sound. The lhissian-Americnn J rading Ump(illy was in full passion of Alaska in 7... when HaranofT bu.lt frt UaranofT, or Sitkn, Inland, nnd named ,t Port Archangel Oabriel - I 180: the fort was captunsl by the Indians and the garr so, re, ; but the next year IWanoff rebuilt" n '"'"..si t New Archangel." U Wimw of i 1 "no m h shiplmilding ..int, where the com, Lv llMUtlt IV y-nnm U) AOW r..lni.,....l ..i .... . . " -m.nh, n.l in 1SI1 n iwW;,J lny' m t.,,,.r. J; ',"n"H time. These were all discontinued after the American occupation; but the Presbyterians soon founded one, as did other denoini nations subsequently. Sitka was quite a thriving town under the Russian rule; but having lost its importance with the departure of the company whose hettdquurlera it was, and having lost much of its trade and population by reason of the mining camps of Harrisburg and Takou, it shows unmis takable signs of decay in its many empty houses, fast assuming a dilapidated and consequently " artistic " and " interesting " appearance. The most conspicuous struc ture is the Greek church, built in the form of a Greek cross, with emerald-green dome in the center, and a cupola-surmounted bell tower. The chapel occupies one wing of the edifice, and in its appointments is very mag nificent. It contains a curious font and an exquisite painting of " The Virgin and Child," copied from the celebrated one at Moscow. The drapery of the figure is of silver, and the halo surrounding the head of gold, leaving nothing of the original painting to meet the eye but the faces and background. The effect is peculiar and striking. The ornaments, great candlestick and candela bra are of solid silver. The chancel is raised and in reached by three broad steps, leadinsr to four doors. twr of which are carved and gilded and ornamented with bas- reliefs. Above hangs a painting of " The Last Supper," nnd another on either side of the altar. - These are covered with silver like that of the Madonna, No woman may cross the threshold of these doors, but thev gen erally stand ajnr, and the courteous priest in attendance willingly shows to visitors the gorgeous vestments and the bishop's crown, heavy with bearls and amethvsts. The fittings of the church were presented to it by the Jiiinpress Uatherine many years ago. '' Ilivalmg the church in interest to the visitor is the old castle on the hill, once the home of the Russian gov ernor, who ruled with almost desrjotic nower. but now. alas, converted into a United States signal station. Once destroyed by nre and once prostrated by an earthquake, it was each time rebuilt Siena of dilnnidntinn are observable, but its massive walls will probably stand for generations. The desolation of its armearRTice lends an ndded charm to the legends which hang about it One iu uiese traditions is to the effect that Baron Romanoff, when occupying the castle na imvpmnr Imd in his household a niece, an orphan whose guardian he was, a mosi oenutitul young lady, as all traditionary maidens nre or should be. She had bestowed br Affections unon a young lieutennnt, and when the Baron commanded her to wed a powerful nrineo. than aW. no a miesfc at - i 1 - - o me castle, she refused The Romanoff, concealinc his displeasure under a cloak nf nrUm'w owa fV.A nlwtrnnt. mg houtenant an hnnnmWa (111 VI UUV& UIOJ'" kvm , in uPn an expedition to some distance. During the nosence of the lover the maiden yielded to the threats and demands of her stern moU nn,1 th. ,0i,i; .A,rnt.inn8 were hastily made. The timid and heart-broken girl and the prince stood up before the priest, who solemnized the torced. union, the marriage bells rang out their mock