The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-08-23

/ tors should find a way OF inhiCtlng
further punishment upon him. For
/ some time the one that had cast of
the rope continued to circle over him.
but It did not renew the attack. and at
length Joined It's consort. preening It's
rumpled plumage in a sprucetop
near by. They kept up a subdued
croaking. a debate OF which Koyouk
fanciod himself to be the subject
No air was stirring, and that moth
Ing might be wanting to complete his
/ discomfort, a host Of black miiges
and mosquitoes presently arrived.
For a time he famed them vigorously
with the sack, from which he had
restored the fledgllng to its mates;
but firing OF that monotonous eXer-
else, he took from a small pouch at
his belt a box, made Of mountain
Sleeps horn and containing finder,
flint and steel, and culling a bunch
Of dry twigs from the nest, started a
tiny fire. When he had added refuse
and damp wood from the interior of
the pile, he found refuge in smoke
from the voracious insects persecu-
ton.
AS the pungent vapor streamed
slowly upward, Koyouk hoped that
some one in the village would observe
it and investigate it's origin. With
this end in view, he laid on more fuel
taking care not to set fire to the nest
itself
Apparently melted to action by the
smoke, the parent ravens lowered over
their domicile; but even the piteous
lamentatlon Of their young, whenever
an occasional puff half-stifei them,
failed to entice them within Koyoull's
reach. He longed wistfully that they
might fetch a salmon and throw it to
the clamorers, so that he could confs-
cate 1t for his own use. 1t was al
ready evening, and he too, was hungry.
For the present, at least he stood in
no great actual fear Of starvation.
AS last resort the lodgings tender
flesh would sustain life for several
days; but thirst presented a more Sc
rious problem. and before midnight ne
would willingly have undergone a
drenching for the sake of rain.
Perpetual daylight reigns in that
season and latitude, and night differed
from day in temperature only.
To sleep was impossible; indeed, he
dared not try to do so; the risk of a
fatal fall was too great. But hunger
thirst and anxiety united to sharpen
Koyouks wits. 1t occurred to him
that in the sack and nest he had ma
terial with which he might accom-
plish his release unaided.
When Irvine is scarce among the
Yukon natives it is a common prac
tice for the women to separate the
warp and wool of canvas provision
sacks discarded by prospectors OF
traders, the numerous short strings
thus obtained being we'll adapted fol
netting and other purposes. In this
manner Koyouk proposed to provide
himself with long cord. 1t was {
tedious task for boyish fingers, but h,
applied himself diligently and hope
fully to unraveling the sack.
The position and increasing
warmth Of the sun proclaimed fore
noon when the work of preparation
had been completed. To one end of
knotted cord he had attached coupl
of stout sticks. dashed together cross
wise ard weighted with his fire-bo
and it's contents, to serve as a sort 0
grapple.
Perched on the litchen covered spur
he lowered the implement to tn
ground, imparting to it meanwhile
!" swinging motion. He was angling 70
+ the Irvine which, before climbing t
, the nest, he had not united from tn
: end of the rope, and which was sti
I lying in plain sight directly beneat
1 him.
ct was sad, after so much time an
: pains, not to get it again withou
e help" Koyouk said afterward whe
recounting his experience to me.
He was fishing for the rope with
fair prospect of success when he hear
i voices, and on looking down the va
ley he caught sight of two youths frol
his village running briskly towar
L him. Speedy deliverance was assure
t. When they had attached the roI
IS to the grapple and he had drawn it L
2. and again affixed the double strar
It over the spur, Koyouk stripped off h
st parkie, knotted the sleeves togeth,
e and tied up the neck. Into this il