The Raymer enterprise., 1912-09-12

most have passed be-
yond my ken All
out two were chance acquaintances,
with whom | spent an hour or so.
Ihere was Helmsund for Instance.
Ills line Is blrds-sea. birds, although,
as far as that goes. anything wild and
unknown attracts Helmslund. dare.
say you never heard OF Helmslund.
you would soon enough. though, IL
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 friend who possesses
really remarkable collection OF
North American birds.
Odd sort Of fellow-Helmslund,"
our host later remarked. I've known
MN 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"
Vhat trlps! l asked.
After BIRDS" replied my host.
fhats Helmsund's work. He gets
BIRDS not for the feather people-he
would regard that as sacrIlege-but
Tor collectors Ike myself. He goes
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
near the story OF Helmslund's battle
for life on the wrathy waters o. Lake
klbnshka, far up by the Arctic circle
IN the grim desolatIon OF the Siberian
hteppes. 1t had happened the sum.
her before. on trip he had taken TO
secure some specimens OF the rosy
su'i for European collector.
With a single companion and n 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.
itat 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
guils 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
Ia the morning. They propelled the
craft by padding. and 1t was slow
work. At first, everything went well
Then brisk breeze sprang UP. agl.
tating the surface OF the lake until the
waves became rs 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
aud three dogs were struggling In the
water Hclmslund kept his wits about
him and helped his companion tu swim
to the overturned dingcy. The dogs
had already clustered about It 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 of the dogs.
crazy with fear as they felt the stead.
ily increasing weight OF their heavy
watersoaked fur. Snarllng tiercely,
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 afternon, Helmslunds s
companion tainted and dropped on
MY friend said that the tears stood In
the little mans eyes as he told OF this
occurrence. He told II quite simply,
ns he told the whole story, indeed
without any straining for effect. Il
was only by direct questioning that
my friend discovered that Helmslund
had fallen on the boat himself In his
Efforts TO save the other man. who
Ind sunk like stone. When Helms.
luna gained the boat second time
he was utterly exhausted and barely
able TO crawl on to It's bottom. He
had lost his paddle and had no means
CT 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 on his shirt and use It to signal
to village Of natives.
Whenever ! smell tho slckly.swee,
scent Of South American orchids n
vision rises before me OF another one
Of the Ska fever.racked spccter
whom met tolling down the gang.
plank Of o fruit.sieamer from La
Guayra His name was Grayson, and
he belonged to that legion OF reck.
less adventurers. the orchid hunters.
0rayon had gone to Venezuela
some months before, with a vague de.