Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 250, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1917 — GAVE HIS LIFE FOR PEACE [ARTICLE]

GAVE HIS LIFE FOR PEACE

One Man Died for Many and Ended Feud Between the Stickeen and Sitkas of Alaska. ——— . , Jr 1 < While the difficulties in the way of re-establishing peace between the contending nations of Europe are in mind, it might be helpful to consider the manner in which two Alaskan tribes, the Stickeen and Sitkas, once settled such a matter. The late John Muir narrates the facts, says the Christian Herald. The bloody feud had lasted all summer, for the parties were evenly matched, and they were all likely to starve in the winter because the women dared not go out to fi-lh or pick berries. But one day a Stickeen chief appeared between the camps and called for a parley. He said: “My people are hungry. They dare not go to the salmon streams or berry fields for winter supplies, and if this war goes on much longer, most of my people will die of hunger. We have fought long enough; let us have peace. You brave Sitka warriors go home, and we will go home, and we will all set out to dry salmon and berries before it is too late.

The Sitka chief replied: “You may well say let us stop fighting when you have had the best of it. You have killed ten more of my tribe than we have killed of yours. Give us the Stickeen men to balance our blood account; then, and not till then, will we make peace and go hoffie.” “Very well,” replied the Stickeen chief, “you know my rank. You know that I am worth ten common men and more. Take me and make peace.” The offer was accepted. The chief gave himself up and was shot down in his tracks, in sight of both tribes. One man diecTfor many, and pefece was restored.