Douglas Island news., 1907-05-15
ADVENTURE OF A YANKEE SKIPPER
Resulted in the Name "Aiaska' Be- ing Applied to Uncle Sam's
 Northern Territory

Back in period so remote that the date. as well as the names of those who figure in this imperfect chronicle is lost to history, a Yankee skipper chanced to overhear sailor recltlng to his mates wonderful stories of adyen- lures he had had in a cruise through the unknown islands bordering the American coast line of the Northern ocean.
 The skipper was so impressed by what he heard that he called the sailor aside. and questioned him minutely regarding the inhabitants and resources of the wonderful islands, with the re- suit that it was quickly determined to fit out a vessel and proceed on a voy- age of exploration and trade, with the sailor as pilot. confidential friend and interpreter.
 Now, the skipper had reached that advanced age at which so many men become unduly susceptible to the charms of young womanhood. So, when the vessel in due time anchored near a populous island and was ap- proached by the wondering people, the old mans eyes rested on particularly comely maiden, aud he said to the interpreter:
 My, she is good looking l wonder if she would go along with us"
 "rI ask her," said the sailor.
 And the skipper, who had been infiu- enced to unusual generosity by the maiden's beauty, handed the sailor dazzling red handkerchief to present. to her.
 The natives heard the sailor say "Ill ask her" and saw the skipper hand him the handkerchief; so all of them, con- cludine that it had been bestowed in response to the magic words, and de- siring similar gifts, held out their hands and cried ''I'll ask her." "l'll ask her'' .srn ask herI" till the poor old skipper was bewildered and much concerned for the safety of his ship and cargo. Every moment the natives were gather ing in increasing numbers along the shore, and the cry of "rll ask her" burst from so many throats that 1t VI brated in an ominous, unbroken roar.
 In desperation the skipper grabbed a handful of beads and other itkas and threw them into the crowd, whereupon the people piled up in struggling heap and scram bed for possession of the trinkets. This enabled the interpreter to board the vessel, which immediately withdrew to a safe distance from shore. The maiden had probably mingled ln the crowd; indeed, it is a regretable fact that history is dumb about her ever after she laid her pretty brown tin- gers on the red handkerchief.
 When things had quieted down bit the head man of the island approached the waters edge and called "Pll ask her." The interpreter put ashore and conferred with him so successfully that great stores of fine furs, ivory, whale bone and other valuable products were conveyed to the ship and exchanged for the shippers goods, who returned home independently rich from the good bargains he had made.
 la succeeding years many white men sailed to the islands to trade and the natives always hailed them with "fn ask herr' which they intended as a not ification that they desired the ships goods. Much repetition shortened the greeting to "Alaska," and the natives would utter the word and point toward the mountains of the mainland, some where beyond which they knew the white men had their homes.
 So it came about that the region wis ited by the soft-hearted Yankee skipper got to be called Alaska. From that il was but a short step to call the terri tory acquired from Russia-the present peerless Alaska-by the same name.
 And now, in closing, it only remain: to be said that if there are any disposed to challenge the truth of the main facts set out in the foregoing chapter it k but fair for them to remain silent ol submit evidence of a superior charac ter bearing on the subject.-The Yukol Valley News.