Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-28

heartened man got up at this juncture,
as II sudden thought impelled him,
and followed Bait out into the cold
He turned down the bank to the
creek. however, and made careful
examination of all the canoes that
went with the village. Fifteen min
utes later he had searched out the dis
gruntled fisherman. and cried, ex-
citedly:
I've got It! Well catch tLat. boat
yeti"
"How?" growled the big man, sourly.
There's large open skln-boat. an
oomiak, down on the beach. Well
hire crew Of Indians to put us across
to Uyak."
Cant be DONE" said Big George,
still gruffly. "It's the wrong season.
You know the Shelikof Straits is bad
place even for steamships at this time
of year. They're like that Pass up
yonder, only worse"
"But It's only fifty miles across"
Fifty miles of that kind of water
In an open canoe may be just as bad
as five hundred-unless you're lucky.
And amt noticed anything so damned
lucky about u.s."
We'll, It's that or nothing. It's our
only chance. Are you game"
Y "CoEle on" cried Big George, ''let's
find Petellin!"
When that worthy heard their de-
sire, he uttered a shrek of dental.
In summer, yes but now--you can't
do it. It has been tried too often. The
Straits Is always rough and the
weather is too cold to sit all day in an
oomiak; you'd freeze"
we'll chance It.
mo, no, no! II it comes on to
storm, you'll 60 to sea-. The tides are
strong; you can't see your course,
and"
Well use compass. Now, you
get me enough men to handle that
oomiak, that's a good fellow. I'll at
tend to the rest"
"But they won't CO." declared the
little fat man. They know what it
means. Why
Call them In. I'll do the talking"
And accordingly the storekeeper went
in search of the village chief, shaking
his head and muttering at the madness
of these people.
8
change in Bait and Emerson when
they re-entered the store: questioned
them as to what had happened; and
in reply to his inquiry, Big George
said:
We're going to tackle the Straits
in a small boat"
What! Not on your life! Why, that's
the craziest stunt l ever heard Of.
Don't you know"
Eyes, we know" Emerson shut him
up. .brusquely "You don't have to 60
with us"
well, should say not. Hunh!.
Do look like I'd do thing like that?
II do, It's because I'm sick. just
got this far by a gnat's eyelash, and
hereinafter take the best of 1t every
time"
you can wait for the mall boat"
II certainly can, and, what more, |
will. And I'll register myself, too
There amt goin' to be any accidents
to me whatever
Although the two men were pleased
at the remote chance of catching the
steamer, their ardor received serious
setback when the trader came in with
the head of the village and a handful
Of hunters, for Emerson found hat
money was quite powerless to tempt
them Using the Russian as inter-
prefer, he coaxed and wheedled, in
creasing his offer out Of all proportion
to the exigencies of the occasion; and
still finding them obdurate, in despair
he piled every coin he owned upon the
D,,k k1NN oh al,
their heads and palavered among
themselves.
They say it's too cold" translated
Petellin. "They will freeze, and
money is no good to dead men," An
other native spoke: 1T is very
stormy this MONTH they say Tile
waves would sink an open boat"
Then they can put US across in
bidarkas," insisted Emerson, who had
noted the presence Of several Of these
smaller crafts, which are nothing
more than long walrus-hide canoes
completely decked over, save for tiny
cockpits wherein the paddlers sit.
HThey don't have to come back that
way; they can wait at Uyak for the
next trip Of the steamer. Why, I'm
offering them more pay than they can
make in ten years.
Better get them 10 do IT," urged
Big George you'll get the coin all
back from them; they'll have to trade
here" But Petellin's arguments were
as ineffective as Emerson's and after
an hours futile haggling the natives
were about to leave when Emerson
said:
"Ask them what they'll take to sell
me a bidarka."
zone hundred dollars" Petellin
told him, after an instant's parley.
Emerson turned to George. Will
you tackle 1t alone with me?"
The fisherman hesitated. Two Of
us couldn't make it. Get third man,
and I'll go you" Accordingly. Emer-
son resumed the subject with. the
Indians, but now their answer was
short and decisive. Not one of them
would veneure forth unless accompa-
MED by one OF his own kind in whose
endurance and skill with paddle he
had confidence. It seemed as If fate
had laid one final insurmountable OBJ
81 a oIa in tho nafh of the two whifo