The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-23
Wonders Performed by Bright Boy Who Had
Been Rescued by Explorers and Returned
to His Tribe. Toys and Prepared Foods
Which He Took Back With Him Made His
Tribe Think Him a God


called Uppalik where the white man /
had never been. where the people ate |
seal blubber and drank whale oil. lived /
in skin tents in summer and ice houses /
In winter; where the women seWed /
with bone needles and the men hunted |
with bone tipped spears. The chief or J
the tribe was Mauwak, and he had a I
little son who was called Taum-Hatsh, |
a beady-eyed, fat, merry youngSter, |
who was as brave as a polar bear lie /
was to be the chief some day, and al
ready he was anxious 70 go out IN
the skin canoes and harpOon the great
believing walrus and sea Ion with
the men of the tribe This daring was
what led to Taum's mishap and all OF
his adventures.
An alone he wandered one spring
morning, when the sun was Just Visi-
BILE over the horizon, but when the
six months of daylight had begun, far
from home along the shore where the
pillows were tossing the ice back
against the bare rocks and sending the
spray far inland. He climbed up on
a jutting crag of ice and looked down
at the water. at the seals noislly sport
ing and the whales rolling along on
shore He wished for a big, mans
size harpoon, so that he could strike
the very biggest whale and then run
home in triumph to announce his Prov
ess. Suddenly, without warning
crack. the crag of ice broke away ana
slid into the sea. Taum ran to the
farther end but already it was too
far from the shore to jump. He could
swim. but he knew that nothing but
the whales and seals could live in the
rough sea that beat on the hard rocks,
and so he stood there watching the
shore recede as the iceberg-tor that
was what he was no won-drifted
along Past a great cape of ice and
tor M l.
calIv sailed, while the great waves beat
against it's sides with a roar like thun-
der Soon he could see the tents or
his fathers tribe, dull heaps against
the snowy background, but he was too
far away fo- any one to have dist1n-
guished a boy from a seal on the berg,
and he knew il. He sat down ana
waited with Indian calm, although sew
eral tears slid down his bronzed cheek.
In his hand was his little toy spear
tipped with a sharp walrus tooth,
very poor wea pom with which to pro-
tect himself should a sea lion Chamber
10 beside him. He drifted on ana on
until the sun almost touched the sea
rim, which was our midnight, and all
the sea things were still, but he had to
walk constantly to keep from freezing.
The waves were larger but more regu-
lar, and the great berg rolled evenly
under each biIlOw. A school of fish
speared a large one. laid it on the ice,
and then speared another, so that when
the sun was well up again he had a
store of food. for Taum, like all Eski-
mos, was very fond of nice raw fish
The berg furnished fresh water, so he
knew that he wouldn't starve soon.
Saved by White Explorers.
Taum drifted thus for three days
sleeping when the sun was warm and
walking about AZ the colder hours
Then there came along the steamer
Andree on its way home from a polar
expedition, and when it was passing
the berg Quartermaster Cruickshank
saw the boy He was quickly rescued
and taken to the captain, who callet
Professor Hatch to come and speak e
him. as the professor spoke Eskimo
very well. Professor Hatch asked Taun
his name, after he had examined hi:
smear to see what tribe he belonged TO
u am Taum- Hatsh, replied the lit
tie castaWay very much frightened Dl
these strange men and the fear1u
sounds and sights on the steamer, 70
he was the very first of the Uppahl
tribe TO see white men
tom Hatch" cried the bearde'
professor in amazement- why, that
my namei
So Taum was taken to civilization
The professor adopted him as MS son
for he was a lOVable little chap, and n
veathered the inclemencies of the New
York climate with all of its colds ant
fevers so fatal to the Eskimo and grew
TO be a strong, stocky lad He went L
school, and proved TO be as clever d
any scholar there; and. although tn
girls leased him about his red cheek
and long, curling eyelashes, ne wa
very happy. He possessed an astound
ing desire TO. learn all about the won
ders around him. asking innumerabl
questions all the time, and he never Tor
hot he
bows. All was wonderful TO him, tn
Simplest toys as well as giant engine
and towering buildings. Many Of thes
simpler marvels he treasured especial
~. and among them the most W0nderIl
was a mechanical white bear. 10
about ten inches nigh, which the Pre-
lessons mother had given him. IN
hear would crouch on all fours, ris
slowly on its hind legs, open its re
mouth roll it's eyes and utter 1alI
squeaky growl and every pine 10,
witnessed the performance ne Woul
roar with laughter, and yet seereti
marvel at the miracle, He cherishe
This bear. and as he grew older he lin
tied its performances. for he learne
that II would wear out in time. and
never wished to see the day II wou
-ernain inert and silent. After ALL
xvas hut a toy symbol of the skill of II
white man fully as marvellous as
Corliss engine or a seismograph. =
learned to use a typewriter. pay II
niano and the violin, to ~ and
dance. and became an accomplished II
tie Eskimo gentleman, and always
was a merry and simple as pupI
dog. When he took the first prize
the high school he was as modest as y
hest boy in the school although maj
white boys have had their heads qul
turned by this great honor.
Going Back to His Home.
Sometimes he yearned for the
land. with its fierce, fighting sled
dogs. its roaring, wallowing sea mo
sters its prowling white bears and
vast waste of solemn snow. And
never quite lost a sneaking fondne
for such Eskimo dainties as tallow, C
liver oil and the like, and even su
reptitious feast upon box OF az
grease was a comfort to him when Il
longing grew too strong to resist,
though he never confessed to this il
ing, as everybody laughed at 1t. WI
he was 16 the professor began 10 pi
pare for another expedition to the DO
and with secret giee Taurn, or Tom,