Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-06-25
TWO men stood on the primitive
Iondino stare At Nuobuls the LITTLE

landing stage at Nuchuk, the httle
Alaskan settlement whose huts and
cabins clustered round an indentation
OF Cooks iulet. A short distance out
in the harbor the cargo steamer Yu-
kon lay at anchor.
swell, what are you going to do
about it?" said Markham, an elderly
and experienced trader, who was the
company's agent at Nuchuk. you
must decide quickly, for there amt
much time. Better stop over for the
are sure TO fetch back totem bear
perhaps a couple of EN-"
"And the risk of Indians2 The
tribes on the headwaters of the Copper
river have bad name"
"They won't modest u.s." Markham
replied, hurriedly. Come, what do
you say?" he added. "The Yukon sails
within the hour"
LET her sail" exclaimed Quin, with
sudden decision. II don't go with her
1--we chosen for the totem bear"
Two days later Quin and Markham,
cling north. A journey of 100 miles
through an UNEMPLOYED region, attend
ed with numerous difficulties and hard
ships, brought them to a good-sizeo
tributary of the Copper river. Here
they camped. and a fortnight was
spent in constructing from felled
trees, by the aid of what tools they had
been able 10 transport, a long, mar
row barge with tiny cabin in the mid
die. This was completed one evening,
and the next morning the Indians were
missing to a man.
The two voyagers embarked the fol-
lowing morning, and three days later.
towards the close Of the afternoon,
they were drifting GA the deep, rapid
tide of the Copper river.
When are we going to tie up?" asked
Quin.
'Oh, any time you like. We had bet
ter slip on mile or two, though" As
Markham spoke his face frightened
and his perplexed expression vanished.
He stood in listening attitude, gazing
at tall pinnacle or rock that had sud-
deuly been revealed by curve of the
channel. From far down the river
foated dull,roaring noise.
"There are rapids yonder," he
added. Wen lay up here for the night,
and run them in the morning"
He bent TO the oar, and within five
minutes the boat was alongside the
right-hand shore, where il was made
fast to the stump of a tree. 1t lay in
deep, swift water, of the end of a
promOutory that United dozen yards
into the river. Immediately below was
the mouth of valley.
by heavens, look yonder!" eN-
claimed Markham.
CHANGING i'm line with his compan-
ions @utstretched arm, Quin beheld a
huge animal standing 20 feet away at
the edge of the timber HE had no
need 10 ask what it was He knew that
he was in the presence of a totem bear
the first he had seen.
For "a brief instant, swinging its
massive head, the brute surveyed the
two men. Then, with a sudden growl.
ii turned and galloped clumsily into
the forest.
VI mast have that bearl" cried Quin.
les pity to shoot him, bat can't
take ham alive"
When they had gone nearly mile
mp the valley the big footprints
seemed 10 suddenly disappear, They
pushed on for 100 yards, then stopped.
Night was close at hand, and the fores
Was as dim as twilight,
We've lost the brute!" exclaimed
Quin,
Yes, he must have turned off the
path" said Markham. wen go a lit
lie farther
They left the path, bore for short
distance 10 the left through the trees
and emerged on small clearing.
They saw before them, standing dark |
ly against the purple twilight, low. !
square structure of logs. 1t resembled |
4 hut, though IL had neither door nor
window, and on the top of it squatted |
a huge carved image-a totem bear.
There must be a village near by"
Quin. "This looks like the
burial place of an Indian chief"
That's what IL is--a chiefs grave"
Replied. eagerly. "I'm in
pck TO find the spot again"
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