The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1900-10-12

in A LAND OF FIRE
By SUSIE REVELS CAYTON


Just why Barkri was not happy
in her home and content with her
surroundings was more than she her
self knew. True, the people with
whom she dwelt were a peculiar peo-
pie, yet they were the only ones that
she knew, hence the incompatibility
that she felt toward the whole race
puzzled her strangely. AS a child
she remembered with what wonder
ing eyes she had often stood at night
watching her people build great fires
on the shores of the narrow neck of
land, or rather islands, which form
the southern extremity of South
America, her home. These fires are
a token, a warning to the enemy,
and a time-worn custom to that peo-
pie, who, by others, are knowns as
the FuegianOs or Fire People Bar
l1ri had a holy horror Of the custom.
In order to keep the race a strong
and hardy one, each newborn baby
that appeared to be weakly was
thrown on the charnel heap or
burned in one Of these fires. This
was always nauseating scene to
Barkri, and as the little innocents,
the more to be pitied from the great
ness of their weakness, were thrown
into the Kissing, licking flames,
Barkri always fled from the scene.
She as a child had never known
the tenderness Of a mothers love,
and when she grew older and had
talked with the few strangers who
visited the islands, she became anx-
lous to know her mother, but her
every effort was Vainly spent, for in
that land family ties are unknown,
and no inquiry that she made re-
garding her parents ever met with
an encouraging answer. To teach a
child to forget its relatives is their
custom, ana mother Weans her
children from her as does the barn
yard hen her chickens, each stand
ing alone, as it were, in the battle of
lite. But heart that has great low
ing capacities as had Barkri's must
have some object for its affection.
Partly for that reason and partly
because it was expected of her as
female that she help to increase the
population of the island, so that they
might be strong to meet the enemy
did another tribe take the war path
against them, she took unto herself.
according to their laws, Fuegianos
husband. She had many to choose
from, for many wanted as mate
her who was considered the wisest
-A0Illan- -1Ll--t3e- -L4i1nGi- -hIre.--ELer-
great loving heart, her many kind
actions and an aweful respect for
her superior comprehensive powers,
kept down all petty jealousies which
might have rendered her life, differ
ing as she did from them, completely
miserable.
There are but two occupations for |
the men of the island, hunting and |
fishing. The only animals to be
found in that country are a species
OF fox and species Of mouse, but |
the channels which separate the |
islands fairly swarm with seals and
fish. Barkrrs husband was a fisher
man, and about an hour of dark
she often accompanied him to the
waters edge, and together they
would pack clay into the bottom OF
his frall little boat, on which they
would light a slow fire in order to
attaract the fish. Not until quite
dark would the fishermen set sail,
and SO when the clay was packed and
the fire lighted Barkri and her hus-
band would sit side by side on the
shore, waiting for the growing dark
ness to deepen. The smoke from
the slow fire at times, as the wind
was, came toward them so that they
were forced to turn their backs on
it, again, and the flames from some
neighboring camp fire would light
up all around, and Barkri and her
husband could see the tossing Of the
great white waves as they looked far
out seaWard. 1t was at such times
as these that Barkri talked most.
Something in the rather mystic sur
roundingS always made her more
thoughtful, and slipping her hand
into her husbands, she would tell
him her dreams of other lands and
other people. 'T believe" she once
said to him, ''there is some great
something which is over everything,
and when you people run from a
loud noise which you 90 not under
stand, thinking that it is a devil and
that you can outrun it, [ stand still,
for | think that the great power
which causes it can follow faster
than we can run. You people do not
think that great power rules" she
added, but seeing that her husband
grew moody, she nestled still closer
to him and said: ''Yet you are a
brave people, for when you see an
enemy you fight we'll" Then he
left her, climbed into his boat, and
she showed it afoat and stood watch
ing after him until he was joined by
others and she could no longer sepa-
rate his freight from among the
many, The fishermen of the island
grow proficient in the management
OF their boats, and when the fish.
which are attracted by the lights in
the bottom of the boat, appear on
the surface of the water they are
speared with unerring skill. 1t was
a dark and stormy night, yet no
fisherman could wait for it to be
much otherwise, for that is a con-