."

They had been told by Uncle Dick that there lived on the east coast of
Kadiak Island a part of the Aleut tribes who still remained savage, and
who never visited a white settlement unless obliged to do so. Many tales
of theft and bloodshed came from these natives, who had always refused
to come under the influence of the missions or schools, one or two of
which are established near Kadiak. In short, as Rob especially very well
knew, there was no wilder or more dangerous portion of Alaska than that
in which they now found themselves. It was very well to be cautious when
approaching the dwelling-place of any of these wild natives, who had
reasons of their own for putting out of the way any stray white man who
might come into the country.

Thirst, however, drove them on. They watched the low house for several
minutes, and then cautiously advanced along the path. They found the
place to be a typical native camp. Pieces of drift-wood lay about,
mingled with skeletons of foxes, bones of salmon and codfish--all the
uncleanliness of an Aleut dwelling. The only opening of the low, round
hut itself was fastened by a square door about three feet across. No
sound came from it.

"Who's afraid?" said Rob, at last, and boldly pushed open the door. He
stooped and entered, and the others followed him.

They found themselves now in the interior of a low hovel, perhaps
fifteen feet across, and rudely circular in form. A wall of roughly laid
timbers extended all around, perhaps three feet from the ground, and
from these eaves to a conical point there rose the rough beams of the
roof, which was covered heavily with dirt, grass, and moss. A hole was
left in the middle of the roof for the smoke to escape. In the centre
lay the white ashes of many fires, on opposite sides of which stood two
half-burned sticks which had supported kettles. The plan of the
barabbara, in fact, is precisely similar to that of the tepee of the
Plains Indians, except that it is not movable and is lower and even less
roomy than a good tepee.

"Nobody home!" said Jesse, looking about the dark interior, where the
smoke had blackened all the wood, and where only a little light came
through the door and the smoke-hole, there being no window at all.

"Nor has there been for a long time," said Rob. "These bits of fish are
all dried up. The ashes have been wet with rain for a long time. See,
back there under the eaves there are a lot of _klipsies_. That's what
they