Genuine Totem Pole For U. Of M.

GENUINE TOTEM

POLE FOR U. OF M.

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Now on Exhibition in the

University Museum

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10 FT. LONG AND 3 WIDE

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Leon J. Cole, Ass't in Zoology

Secured the Relic for

the University

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The university has just received an-

other valuable gift from its represent

ative upon the Harriman Alaska ex

pedition, Mr. Leon J. Cole, assistant

in zoology.  At a point a short distance above

Cape Fox, the party visited a deserted

Kingit village in which were 20 Totem

 poles in a fair state of preservation.

The largest of these - 50 feet in

length and four feet in diameter - to-

gether with several others of less di-

mension, were transferred to the hold

of the vessel and will later be exhibit-

ed in other museums. Rejecting ex-

terior Totem poles as too unweildy for

our limited accommodations, Mr.

Cole secured from the interior of one

of the better class of houses, a speci-

men as interesting and in a much bet-

ter state of preservation than were

those that had been exposed to the

weather. The house was 30x35 feet

in dimensions, was built of vertically

placed puncheons and mill boards.

The main supports of its rather flat

roof were tour posts placed two at

each end of the house, for supporting,

the heavy roof timbers. In front of

each of the rear posts stood a Totem 

column, one of which may be seen to-

day for the first time in the museum.

It is 10 feet long by three feet wide

and represents a bear sitting upon its

haunches. With its fore paws the

bear grasps the arms of a man whose

lower limbs have disappeared into the

bear's mouth and whose expression of

apprehensive horror suggests fear that

the bear has not finished his meal.

Among the Alaskan Indians each

family has its Totem, which is a fig-

ure of the animal from which the

family is supposed to have descended.

The owner of the house from which

this column was taken doubtless be-

longed to the family with the bear

Totem.

Although the erecting of such a

column frequently means much priva-

tion on the part of its owner, it is

made the occasion of great feasting

and gratifies one of his highest ambi-

tions. In addition to the thanks due

to Mr. Cole for his thoughtfulness

and labor in securing this most inter-

esting relic of a declining custom, we

are indebted to E. H. Harriman for

his generosity in delivering the col-

umn at the Ann Arbor depot free of

expense.