The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-09-14

yond my ken. All
but two were chance acquaintances.
With whom | spent an hour or SO.
There was Helmslund for instance
His line Is birds-sea birds, although
as Tar as that goes. anything wild and
unknown attracts Helmslu dare
say you never heard OF Helmslund
You would soon enough, though II
you undertook to collect rare birds as
hobby. Helmslund is indispensable
to scores of collectors in this country
and Europe
met him one Sunday afternoon at
the house Of a friend who possesses
really remarkable collection of
North American birds.
odd sort OF fellow-Helmslund." :"
our host later remarked. I've known
him several years. now. and he's just
getting to the point where he gives
me sketchy account OF the main in
cidents OF interest in his trips"
What trips?" 1 asked
After birds" replied my host
That's Helmslund's work. He gets
birds, not for the feather people-he
would regard that as sacrilege-but
everywhere to get them | don't sup
pose there's country he hasn't been
to in search OF some particular spe-
cimen'
And that was how | happened to
hear the story of Helmslund's battle
for life on the wrathy waters Of Lake
kibushka, far up BY the Arctic circle
In the grim desolation OF the Siberian
steppes. 1t had happened the sum
mer before. on a trip he had taken to
secure some specimens OF the rosy
gull for European collector.
With single companion and a cou-
pie Of dog teams, he was working
around the country. paying especial at
tention to the marshy tracts bordering
several large lakes, which are the hab-
ftat OF various species OF water fowl.
There is probably no more desolate
country in the world than this portion
OF the steppes.
Helmslund soon found that the rosy
gulls had deserted the shores OF Lake
Kibushka, and he determined to cross
the lake. which was about twenty
miles wide. and try his luck in the
country beyond. Sc he secured craft
which he called dingey and which
was large enough to hold his compan-
ion and three of the dogs, besides
himself. and the party set out early
In the morning. They propelled the
craft by padding. and it was slow
work. At first, everything went well
Then brisk breeze sprang up. agl
tating the surface of the lake until the
waves became as large as those OF the
open sea. To add to the confusion
the dogs became frightened and start
ed to quarrel among themselves
Before they realized the danger, the
boat had capsized and the two men
and three dogs were struggling in the
water. Hemslund kept his wits about
him and helped his companion to swim
TO the overturned dingey. The dogs
had already clustered about 1t and
were fighting desperately in the wa
ter, to climb on the bottom. but Helms
lund pushed through them ruthlessly
and helped the other man to get a
seat, before he followed him. Luckily
he had retained possession of his pad
die and he used it to beat off the dogs,
crazy with fear as they felt the stead
fly increasing weight of their heavy
water-soa fur Snarling fercely
the beasts attacked the boat again
and again, swapping at the mems legs
and leaping out Of the water In wild
attempts to seize their throats
Early in the Afternoon, Helmslunds S
companion tainted and dropped of
My friend said that the tears stood in
tho liffla m n ha nj Of
occurrence. He told 1t quite simply,
as he told the whole story. indeed
without any straining for effect 1t
was only by direct questioning that
my friend discovered that Heimslund
had fallen on the boat himself in his
efforts to save the other man, who
had sunk like stone. When Helms
lund gained the boat a second time
he was utterly exhausted and barely
able to crawl on to its bottom He
had lost his paddle and had no means
Of directing his progress or even of
determining in which direction he was
going.
Fortunately for him. the wind was
on-shorc. and late In the afternoon
he drifted within sight OF land. The
sight gave him renewed energy to
strip OF his shirt and use 1t to signal
to a village of natives.
Whenever I smell the sickly-sweet
scent Of South American orchids a
vision rises before me Of another one
Of the Ska fever-racked specter
whom I met toiling down the gang
plank of a fruit-steamer from La
0uayra- His name was Grayson. and
he belonged to that legion Of reck-
less adventurers. the orchid hunters
Grayon had gone to Venezuela
some months before. with a vague do
Examination to strike into the Jungle
eeuntry In the direction Of the 0uian-