STRANGE REPORT OF INDIAN KILLED BY HARPOON BOMB
BYERS ISLAND, ALASKA?—?An Indian witch doctor was killed by a harpoon bomb aboard a whaling ship in Alaskan waters earlier this month.
The Indian had been employed as a guide by Grady Whaling Co. of Sitka. According to the company’s reports, he accidentally detonated the bomb attached to a whaling harpoon and was killed instantly.
Such news would not have traveled far beyond Byers Island except for the strange reports that followed.
The captain of the ship was informed that the Indian was considered a powerful witch doctor among the nearby tribes. Apparently a colorful character, the Indian was known to have a pronounced limp and to wear a black top hat and an elaborate necklace of teeth and trinkets. The Indians said he could provide healing and hexes in equal measure. Because of his worth, they demanded exorbitant payment for his death.
Grady Whaling Co. was not amenable to the payment, however, and conflict seemed imminent. US Revenue Cutter Bear was dispatched to serve as peacemaker by force if necessary.
However, all negotiations were called off when it became known that the Indians believed the witch doctor had not in fact died but instead had taken up residence in a spruce tree on Byers Island, in the form of a black bird. The Grady Whaling Co. argued that no compensation should be paid in such a case, for while there was a corpse, the bird was very much alive and well.
NOTICE OF LOCATION
State of Washington Alaska Territory County of No counties in this territory Wolverine River Mining District Notice is hereby given that the undersigned did, on the 6th day of July 1887, discover and locate a quartz lead containing valuable minerals, to which they have given the name the Gertie Lode, under the Act of Congress of May 10, 1872; they claim 1,500 feet in length on the line of the lode, starting at the center of the discovery shaft and running west 1,500 feet, and 300 feet in width on each side of the center of the lode for the whole distance in length. The said lode is located in the Wolverine River Valley, Alaska Territory, northwest of the Trail River’s confluence.
William Samuelson and Jeremiah Boyd Locators
Dear Walt,
I’m enclosing a couple of things I think you might find interesting. Earlier this winter, a university student offered to do research for me, so I asked if she could find any references to the “Old Man” from the Colonel’s expedition. It was a nearly impossible request, since we have no name or other key information. But she went through online archives of Alaska newspapers, and she found this article on an Alaskan “witch doctor” being killed aboard a whaling ship in 1907. The similarities are amazing, and it certainly makes me wonder.
I’m also sending you a photocopy of the mining claim for the Gertie Lode that began the gold rush here in Alpine. We have it on file here at the museum, but I just thought recently to look it up. I hadn’t noticed the names before, but now I recognize them?—?Samuelson and Boyd! I haven’t been able to find any other records for them.
I’m finished going through all the journals and letters, and have most of them translated into digital documents, and I have to say that I was surprised in the end?—?I didn’t realize that the Colonel and Sophie eventually came up here together.
On another note, the Anderson Museum in Portland doesn’t seem to be open anymore, but do you know where Sophie’s photographs and plates went to? Depending on where they are kept, I thought we could offer digital copies of her diaries to add to their collection, if you think that would be appropriate.
But the main reason I’m writing is I have an idea, and I’ll apologize now because I’m afraid I might bombard you with my enthusiasm. Here’s my thought?—?Why don’t you come up here and visit us in Alaska?
I can already guess your arguments about why it wouldn’t work, but before you say no, give me a chance. We’ve got it all figured out.
You could fly up this summer for just a week or two. My cousin owns a rafting business, and he has already said that he would be happy to take us on a float trip down the Wolverine River. He has an opening in mid-July. It only takes about 5 days if we put in near Alpine and float to the coast. We could also take it at a more leisurely pace if you wanted.