The Elbert County tribune., 1913-04-25

E the north Alaskan coast
KS HHEA call him Notices" be-
~ TA cause as matter OF fact
slsaR he has no toes.
f&4 Cockney would some
lTS times tell grim tales of
- whaling or of the deeds
OF heroism and bravery of his com
rades-not as real deeds of valor. but
as ordinary occurrences of the great
north and in the manner which the
men of the north have OF telling of
such happenings-but when one re-
ferred to any part that he took In
these adventures. he would suddenly
become quiet. and unless you imme-
diately launched on another subject,
would unceremoniously take his leave.
TO pace up and down the whaler deck
with Antoine the harpooner.
He was much averse to talking of
himself, an6, though you might glance
inquiringly at the stumps of his feet.
which had been taken off at the in
step. and vaguely wonder over the
marvellous trip this little fellow scarce
ly five feet tall had made when he
saved the ship and lost these parts.
not a word would ever fall from his
lips which would lead you to know of
the terrible suffering he endured on
that occasion. Yet every whaler of
the Behring and Arctic knows the
story.
| had the story from several with
variations.
The ice completely blocked the Beh-
ring straits and the blows foretelling
the winter storms were piling the
foes one upon the other. The whaler
captain was spending his most anx-
jous moments, as failing to break
through that So mile barrier which
separates two great continents means
that the winter must be spent within
the frigid confines of the dread Arc
tic, and that meant something which
even the iron heart of a whaler did
not care to contemplate.
The Norwhal had her nose over the
stretch OF the wind-swept distance and
failed to find lead which would mean
the return to CIVILIZATION. Short of
food. having provisioned for one year
only. the captain faced winter preg-
nant with ominous Fardships and per-
lis. To escape the driving foes in the
Arctic, the captain threshed the old
-whaler back over the yet clear water
and made eastward to the mouth of
the Mckenzie river where he could
go into winter quarters at Herschel
island.
And there began the winter which
tore the souls from men; made beasts
of brave men and heroes of towards;
which tore down the barriers of disci-
pline and officialdom and made fore
castle and cabin one.
The food was nearly gone when the
preparations for winter were COM
pleted. and the rations were cut to
quarter. Even on that. the captain
figured 1t would last but few weeks.
The time fast approached when the
food would reach its end. The captain
turned this dread fact over in his mind
and he thought of caribou on the main
land to the eastward. The almost use
lessness OF attempting to obtain this
was too evident to him. but this could
be the only means of surviving until
spring and the return of the sun. But
that was miles away over trailless ice
and he had obtained but five dogs
from the Eskimos. Those he had in
tended to use as food at the last
moment.
The day came when the captain list
ed the stores and found that. even on
biscuits and salt beef. there was but
enough for two weeks.
Then Cockney who had been think
ing of the hideousness OF starvation,
left his bunk in the forepeak and
fought his way over the clogged decks
aft to the captains cabin. He had
wintered in the Arctic before, but
when the vessel was out for two or
more seasons and plentifully sup
piled with food. and he knew the sur
rounding country. He had hunted
the caribou, and knew where to
find them.
"Cap'n," said the little man bluntly,
II want to go for some caribou"
The whaler captain gravely survey
ed him. 1t was Cockneys duty aboard
the ship to remain In the crow's-nest
with the captain when the boats were
out and signal at the sight of the
whale. The captain thought of this
and the hardness which CoclSney had
always shown.
Il can take those FIVE dogs and the
sled" Cockney began again as the
captain regarded him in silence" and
know that coast. All I want is a
rifle and plenty of ammunition and
big Jim Hall out of the foc'sT. He's
the biggest man aboard the ship. and
guess the strongest. Wen bring
back the meat"
The captain arose and placed a hand
on the shoulder of the smaller man.
He paused for a moment and new
light fared In his eyes.
'cockney." he said slowly, tre-
NOR of emotion thrilling his voice "if