A Number Of The Taku Tribe Came To Fort Wrangell, Camped Near The Stickeen Village, And Made Merry, Manufacturing And Drinking Hootchenoo, A Vile Liquor Distilled From A Mash Made Of Flour, Dried Apples, Sugar, And Molasses, And Drunk Hot From The Still.

The manufacture of hootchenoo being illegal, and several of Toyatte's tribe having been appointed deputy constables to prevent it, they went to the Taku camp and destroyed as much of the liquor as they could find.

The Takus resisted, and during the quarrel one of the Stickeens struck a Taku in the face - an unpardonable offense. The next day messengers from the Taku camp gave notice to the Stickeens that they must make atonement for that blow, or fight with guns. Mr. Young, of course, was eager to stop the quarrel and so was Toyatte. They advised the Stickeen who had struck the Taku to return to their camp and submit to an equal blow in the face from the Taku. He did so; went to the camp, said he was ready to make atonement, and invited the person whom he had struck to strike him. This the Taku did with so much force that the balance of justice was again disturbed. The attention of the Takus was called to the fact that this atoning blow was far harder than the one to be atoned for, and immediately a sort of general free fist-fight began, and the quarrel was thus increased in bitterness rather than diminished.

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