Woman's Executive Committee of Home Missions 
 
 of the Presbyterian Churc/i. /'^ff 
 
 of the 
 
 JVEi^^ior). 
 
 53 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. 
 
^I^etch of the H^dali Mi^^ion 
 
 On the southern part of Prince of Wales island, 
 one of the many islands bordering the south east- 
 ern coast of Alaska, lives the native tribe of the 
 Hydah. They are described as a large, well 
 formed and handsome race, with lighter com- 
 plexion than the other tribes. Tlieir barbarity in 
 war gained for them the appellation of the " Bull- 
 dogs " of the North Pacific, and they stand among 
 the other tribes the recognized victors of battles, 
 which were at one time frequent, but happily 
 began to disappear when civilization commenced 
 its work of reformation. That the commercial 
 interests of an uncivilized and unchristian com- 
 munity are enhanced by the advent of mission- 
 aries, who teach by precept and example the 
 principles of honesty and integrity, is strikingly 
 shown among them. Before the influences of 
 Christianity began to permeate the village, En- 
 glish and American ships were seized and robbed.. 
 At one time the captain and crew of a vessel were 
 held as prisoners until ransomed by the Hudson 
 Bay Fur Company. 
 
 Their villages are noted for the large number of 
 totem poles, representing the tribal genealogy, and 
 
 3 
 
are often seen standing at either side of the en- 
 trance of the house, one pole heralding the hus- 
 band's ancestry and the other the wife's. They 
 are sometimes used as the sepulcher for the ashes 
 of dead chiefs who have been cremated after 
 death. Again they are made to serve as an en- 
 trance to the house by making an oval opening 
 through one of the large poles. They vary in 
 size from one to two feet in diameter and twenty 
 to sixty feet in height. One who Has visited their 
 houses describes one of the homes as "a large, 
 low, pl«.nk building, from forty to fifty feet square, 
 with a fireplace in the centre of the floor, and a 
 large opening in the roof for the escape of smoke." 
 The Hydah are skilled in carving, their orna- 
 ments and utensils of bone and wood, stone, silver 
 and gold being famous. 
 
 While making his tour of inspection along the 
 coast in 1877, Dr. Jackson spent some time on 
 this island. The natives eagerly asked that a 
 teacher might be sent to them. A mission was 
 established in 1881, with Mr. James E. Chapman 
 as teacher, at Howcan, since named Jackson by 
 the missionaries, in compliment to Dr. Jackson, 
 who has so vigorously worked for the redemption 
 of the Alaskans. Rev. J. L. Gould was sent as a 
 missionary the foUowmg year. He found a chief 
 ready to open a large house for church and school 
 purposes. 
 
 In the beginning everybody attended, as the 
 Alaskans with no record of ages are slow to 
 understand why the older men and women are not 
 
 4 
 
able to learn as rapidly as the children. Fascinat- 
 ed by the intelligence and ability of the mission- 
 aries they were eager to be like them. It is not an 
 unusual sight, odd as it may seem to us, to see a 
 little one strapped to a board, in its mother's- 
 arms, or lying on the floor in a blanket, while the 
 mother is reciting her lesson. 
 
 The first two years were full of frontier ex- 
 periences, for the missionaries who were disap- 
 pointed in procuring lumber for building pur- 
 poses, but with true pioneer ingenuity they went 
 to the forests, felled trees and constructed with 
 poles, shakes and puncheons, buildings for the 
 church and school, also a dwelling. 
 
 In the autumn of 1886 Mrs. A. R. McFarland,. 
 that brave hearted woman who was the first mis- 
 sionary to Alaska, and courageously began the 
 first work alone at Fort Wrangel, went to Jackson 
 to establish a "Home for boys and girls." Na 
 time was lost in again bringing into play the 
 acquired skill of the carpenter, and necessary 
 buildings were soon made ready for this depart- 
 ment. A disastrous fire three years later robbed 
 the mission of this much-needed home. The 
 thirty girls from it were sheltered in the carpenter- 
 shop, which for two years shielded them. With 
 accustomed rapidity the ministerial mechanic was 
 again busily engaged at the trade the Master 
 honored by following himself. The fast-ap- 
 proaching Alaskan winter hurried the workers on 
 lest the faithful pastor and his family might be 
 found unprovided for it. The Home was again. 
 
 5 
 
HYDAH WAR CANOE. 
 
rebuilt, but sore was the disappointment when it 
 became evident that for lack of sufficient funds to 
 maintain it admission must be denied the boys. 
 A promising class of girls was rapidly developing 
 into womanhood, but still the work was only half 
 done. Generous friends soon came forward and 
 gave money for the enlargement of the work, 
 thereby making it possible to admit the neglected 
 boys. Now they receive with these sisters spirit- 
 ual, mental and industrial training. The tourists 
 who throng Alaska in summer, carrying cheer and 
 help to other mission stations, thereby breaking 
 the monotony and giving the missionaries a 
 glimpse of the outside world, never startle our 
 faithful coterie at Jackson. The Prince of Wales 
 island is one hundred and fifty miles from the 
 main coast and two hundred miles from the direct 
 steamer course. Once or twice a year provisions 
 are sent on a steamer, but all other communication 
 is made by means of native canoes. The sight of 
 the mail carrier, which sends a thrill throughout 
 one's body as he stands with outstretched hand 
 holding the long-looked-for letter, is a pleasure 
 never granted Hydah missionaries, for their letters 
 must lay over at Fort Wrangel to await the native 
 carrier who goes for them by canoe. This is a 
 trip which entails spending many nights on land 
 and "beaching the boat," as it is called. Severe 
 snow and hail storms are often encountered, which 
 makes letter carrying there not the pleasurable 
 task letter reading is. All these hardships and 
 inconveniences which the missionaries endure are 
 
 7 
 
cheerfully borne for the privilege of telling to the 
 people about them "the old, old story of Jesus 
 and his love." The joy of such a service is told 
 by Mr. Gould who says: "We have seen some 
 put ofe the blanket for civiUzed garb, get out of the 
 herd in the 'lodge' for a cottage and family 
 Christian home; break away from the chiefs rule 
 and assert American individuality; turn from the 
 tricks and incantations of witches and ' Shamans,' 
 and abandon superstition for belief. Debauchery 
 has at Hydah given place to teetotalism." 
 
 The changes which have come about have not 
 been the result of any rapid progress or sudden 
 overthrow of old customs and habits. The 
 power of a consistent life among the natives has 
 shown them the result of accepting the gospel. 
 They have watched the missionaries; have 
 observed their daily lives and seen wherein they 
 could be like them. A marked change has come 
 about in the marriages, which of old were often 
 very unsuitable. A young man would marry a 
 woman old enough to be his grandmother, while 
 girls would take husbands of three score years, 
 these being questions which were settled by tribal 
 customs ; but now the missionaries are frequently 
 asked to give advice, and gradually matches have 
 become more natural. The old commonal houses 
 have given way to neat cottages where the home 
 life is held to be sacred. The influence of the 
 young people is being felt ainong the old, who 
 have been hard to reach. Now, however, they 
 are coming to church and are eager listeners. 
 
 8 
 
One old chief who was formerly satisfied to have 
 his wife and children go to school and church, has 
 now become a regular attendant at the Sabbath 
 services and week night prayer meeting, and has 
 said : ' ' Every day a little more light is. coming, 
 and by and by I think I will be strong to stand up 
 and let my people know my heart." 
 
 Chief Skult-kah, who so willingly gave his house 
 for the use of the mission when it was established, 
 and was always its loyal friend, has recently died. 
 He was among the first to be baptized, and during 
 his lingering illness from consumption gave 
 evidence of the sincerity of the profession he 
 made. 
 
 The good work goes on encouragingly at this 
 promising point, and as we enlarge the contribu- 
 tions, proportionately can it be advanced. The 
 ready co-operation of all is needed that the pro- 
 gress may not be retarded, but more marked in 
 the future than it has been in the past. The 
 fields are "already white to the harvest," and 
 shall we not thrust the sickle in and gather the 
 ripened grain? 
 
 9 
 
Mrs. Darwin R. James, President. 
 
 Mrs. Frederick H. Pierson, Cor. Secretary. 
 
 Miss Elizabeth M. Wishard, 
 
 Young People's Secretary. 
 Mrs. D. E. Finks, Editorial Secretary. 
 Miss S. F. Lincoln, Treasurer. 
 
gHE r>OME CQlSSION CQONTHLY 
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