San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-10

| islands; but now mat they hau
passed into Bcring Sea the character
of the land had changed. These were
not the dull-green, wooded isles met
with on first entering Alaskan wa
tiers. Wild and inhospitable though
| the latter had seemed, they were
| fairy bowers compared to these. Nor
did the messy mainland continue to
show n marvellous beryl green
through mist.
The truth was that these islands
were far-scattered fragments of the
Barrens. those great wastes of moss
and tundra between the timber belt
and the eternal ice cap of the pole.
Lately the ship had taken a north
ern turn, following the island chain.
and the cloudy, windy, rainy days
found them not far from the main
land. in a region that would be who'll
ly iccbound in few weeks more.
And when they were still full day
from their turning point, Knutsen
sought out Ned on the deck.
Mr.. Cornet, do you know where
we're going:" he asked quietly.
Ned whirled toward him. Il don't
know these waters" he replied. 81
suppose we're approaching Muchin
off Island.'
"Quite a sail between here and
der, yet. Mr.. Cornet, we're getting
into de most unknown and untrav-
eled waters in all dis part of the
Mort. De boats to Nome go way
outside here, and de trut' is I'm way
out of my old haunts. I'm travelling
by chart only; neighth me nor Nc
Nab, nor very many oder people
know very much the waterways be-
tween desc islands. You're up here
to trade for furs. and you haven't
waters here, shut off from the cur
rents, are going to be tighter dan Il
drum before very many weeks. Why
don't you make your destination
Tar Island, and start back from
dere?'
"You think it's really dangefous?"
"Not really dangerous, maybe. but
mighty awkward if anything should
go wrong wit de old brig. You
pnderstan' dat not one out of four
of desc little islands is inhabited.
Some of de larger islands have only
4 scattered village or two; some of
'em haven't living human being.
Der's plenty and plenty of islands
not even named in dis chart, and I'd
hate to hit the reefs of one after
dark. Der's no one to send S. o. S.
calls TO, in case of trouble, even if
we had wireless. De only boat l
know dat works carefully through
dis country is anot'er trader, the In
trepid-and dat won't be along till
spring. Mr.. Cornet. it's best for you
to know dat you're in one of the
most uninhabited and barren coun-
tries"
And the most dreary and general.
ly damnable." Ned agreed with en-
thusiasm. why didn't you tell me
this before? Muchinoff Island, isn't
in my young life. i picked
it out as starting point simply be-
cause it was the farthest north of
the Sdopins, but since there seems
to be plenty of territory"
at will make you hump some to
cover all de good territory now, III
Guiding some of the best of de Aleuts, |
and get around Alaskan PENINSULA
before winter sets in, in earnest.
Tar Island is yust to our nort-east.
Shall | head toward it,"
"How long will it take"
"Depends on dc wind. Dis is a
ticklish stretch of water in here.
shallow in spots, but safe enough,
guess. | think we can skim along
and make it in long before dawn"
"7Thcn do it :" Neds face suddenly
Frightened. "The sooner I ran
shake my legs on shore, the better
I'll like it," |