Evening star., 1926-04-08
ESK|M0S TERRIFIED
BY WILKINS PLANE
"FIying DeviI' Scares Older
Natives, But Children Are
Merely Curious.
Especial COrrespOnderce of The Star and the
North American Newspaper Alliance.l

North American Newspaper Alliance
FAIRBANKS, Alaska. April S.
Capt. George Hubert wilkins and
Pilot Ben Eielson, in monopla ne
Alaskan, hoped off from Circle City
for Fairbanks yesterday.
Capt. wilkins, in describing his
pioneer fight over Northern Alaska
So id;
We encountered the most rugged
scenery i have ever seen in my ex-
ploring expsrience--knife-e edge and
saw-toOth mountain ranges piled one
after the other for undetermined
miles. each serrated horizon more
terrible than the one behind.
Flying at 1000 feet. we came finally
to the tundra which lies beyond the
mountains--a frozen white expa
a. far as our aching eyes could see.
Not twig or tree or even a knoll
broke the snowy monotony of Il,
but we did finally see three great
bands OF caribou moving slowly over
the waste. We few beyond land 70
the east of Barrow--quite missed 1t
in fact--and cruised for more than
Two and half hours over the gray
frozen Arctic Ocean before la nding at
Barrow. Although we went perhaps
20 miles into the hitherto unexplOred
area of the Polar Sea and could see
probably so to 20 more miles. we saw
no trace of land"
Natives Begin Dauce.
In wild terror at the approach oi
the roaring monoplane of Capt. VII
kins when he landed at Point Barrow
Eskimos started their devil-chasins
dance to ward off the "ringmezon
Tonuk" or "hying devil" az they
have STYLED the big F'okker mono
plane.
The scene is described graphically
by Earl F.. Hammond. advance man
Of the Detroit Arctic expedition, VINO
arrived by sledce from Nome several
weeks ago TO prepare the LANDING
field at Barrow. His account. brought
by Capt. wilkins, who arrived here
last night in ''Tingme2on.' follows:
Ever since March 10, when ar
rived and tod the Eskimos OF Capt
wilkins approaching visit. avery
icIoo had it's own sentinel post ed
watching the southern Sky for the
coming of the great purring bird.
They worked daily preparing the iand
ing field. and their excitement pyra-
mided each day a. he did not come.
Finally on March 81. just before 3
pm. we all heard the distant thrum:
ming Of the motors, and ont Of the
binding white Of the Sky the mono
plane emerged.
Exceeds City Excitement.
You may think YOU know what eX-
citement is In the cities hut 1t could
be nothing compared To The thrill that
passed through the isloo colony here.
The confusion vas indie scribsble.
N@lp IA knI " Ia
they had been told what TO expect.
shouted that the 'ronuk' Hhe de,in
was coming and started their devil.
cha sing da nee.
There were loud cries: The
devil is trying to get INDOORS, and
one old Eskimo woman. who had been
Christia niZed by ArcbdeacoD Stuck,
The famous missionary "f the oldt n
days. rushed into the Governme NJ
Hospital, sank to her knees and
started wing in Eskimo. The
Younger t.skimos. however. were mad
with curiosity and stsmpeded the
local school teacher in rush for
the landing field. wilkins and Eiel.
son We're surrounded by 'rhe most
q exrited bunch of kids. would
venture. in the world at that time. '''
Children Can Him Cap"
The school children swamped the
explorers with questions and hailed
Wilkins as Cap in friendly t:sL imo
fl shion. Most of the Eskimos were
curious. but there was
one man who could not lie oersuaded
10 approach the plane. He had been
driving docttsm sledGe few miles
from Barrow when the plane SCARED
into his view. Terrified. he hi6 under
his sledge for more than IN hour
and finally came driving into tire
settle ment like mad, shouting that
he had seen the fiying devil
tCopyright. 1925. nv North American News.
paper Alliance