The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-12-01
"Jinkyswoitmaya."

BY c. II. CLAUDY.

1t was in the spring of 1897, while |
was employed on botanical and geo
logical work in Alaska, that made the
acquaintance of "Jinkywoitmaya," whom
we called "Jinks'' for short. He was
the son of a Russian "claim-jumper"
and an Aleut Indian squaw, and he
lived in the little village of Nutchek,
Hinchinbrook Island, Prince William
Sound.
Jinks had had rather an unhappy
life, for he was, in the estimation OF
his companions, coward ;he had that
innate fear of water, probably inher-
sted from his white father, Of which
one finds occasional cases in the most
aquatic tribes. Jinks could not be
induced to enter a canoe for any pur-
pose whatever, and on that account he
was the scorn of the island for the
Aleuts sport and hunt on the sea as
AZ It were their natural element. But
Jinks is no physical coward, and this
Is the story of how found it out.
I had been in the village just two
days, when we had one of those ter
rifle rain-storms that occasionally Wis
It the Alaskan coast late in the spring.
For three days and nights 1t rained in
sheets. During my enforced idleness
I made the acquaintance OF Jinks, who
could speak little English, and speed
ily became fond of me, because | new
=
with the obnoxious Aleutian adjective
which means "one who is afraid at
the end of 1t.
Jinks was then about fifteen years
old, but strong and wiry, and more
than ordinarily bright for an Indian
boy.
It was on the third day of our ac'
uuaintance, l think, that Jinks told
me Of the wonderful view from a plat,
eau of a mountain on the island. He
said 1t could be reached by about five
hours climbing. That any Aleut
should notice view as worth seeing
at all. let alone as worth climbing for
was surprising. This view, | thought
must be, remarkable indeed, and so II
happened that when Jinks shyly prof
fered his services as guide, | made
ready to go as soon as the rain should
cease.
After waiting a day for the streams
to subside and the wet ground to dry
we started. We carried a knapsack
of food, a canteen of cold tea, a rifle
a sheath-knife apiece, forty feet OF
three-eighths rope, hatchet and
binocular
Tramping for an hour steadily west
we came to the foot of Mount Kenia
a hill some four thousand feet high
half way up which was the wonderous
view. Then our difficulties began
The way lay through dense woods FOL
= while, the ground getting sleeper
and sleeper.
Now and then stone would star
from our feet and go bounding dowr
the mountain, smashing into trees. re
bounding, going on again, until finall!
stopped by tangle of underbrush; or
escaping that, it would go on and OF
until only the echoes of its crash
ing descent told that 1t was still on III
way. The heavy rain had made th'
ground easy to our feet but occasion
ally the foothold would prove treach
erous and we would slip down on ou
faces. Several times we came to bank
so steep and slippery it seemed as
we were stalled; but Jinks could clim
like a monkey, and would crawl u
ahead somehow, fasten the rops to
tree and let it down 10 me, that
might haul myself bodily up after hin
We finally reached the end OF GU
climb, at a point about twenty-fv
hundred feet above the sea-level.
Here we turned to the right, on
natural road of rock, traversing sor
of miniature canyon.
At the end of half an hours wall
we found ourselves at a standstil
brought up against blank rock wa
thirty feet in height Nothing discor
certed, Jinks tied the rope about hi
waist, kicked off his disreputable foot
wear and began to climb the wall. Ho'
he did it l don't know, for found
dificult even with the help Of the rop
he let down to me.
opce arrived on top, ! soon forge
all my tribulations in the wonderfl
sight. We were on narrow platea'
perhaps fifty feet wide-a rift In th
mountain which rose In sheer roc
walls on each side Of US at distant
of quarter of mile. A thin line {
trees was ahead of me. and beyon
them the ocean Going through Il
trees, found myself on the edge