Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

accessories With which the babies of
her old friends in Russia had been care
fully surrounded. She seemed to think
nothing at all Of her own total lack
of the most ordinary comforts and care,
but she did want them for her little
son.
She and her husband had hoped
that the schooner would take them 20
Chaun Bay or Koiyma, when we arrived
at Kaluchin, where they could put in
the Winter by taking charge of one of
the company stations at those points
The natives at Kaluchin, unlike most
of those along that coast, were noisy
and inclined TO be actually dangerous
at times. They had been taught TO
make a very heady home brew" the
prisoners from the penal colonies or
salt mines of Siberia. When under the
influence Of this stimuIant they re-
verted to a very savage and primitive
state; constant brawls and debaucfes
went on within the igloos in the neigh
borhood.
johnson, naturally was worried over
keeping his wife and baby there under
such conditions, particularly as he had
often to be absent from home for days
at time when making his rounds Of
the traps or to trade with igloo villages
Of Deermen farther inland.
X
THE schooner being long overdue on
account of our ice troubles, the
Johnsons had given las up for that year
and were preparing as best they could
to spend another long, hard Winter
where they were. .--
They gave us a welcome In which re-
lief, delight. relaxation-and on the part
OF Mrs. johnson suspicion of tears not
Tar of-Were very touchingly blended
We could imagine what the past Winter
must have been like from the earnest
ness of their greeting. We recalled our
sensations when the schooner was fast
in the ice-pack for so long and there
seemed most uncomfortably strong
chance in favor Of her remaining there
indefinitely.
Indeed, we experienced warm fellow
feeling Of understanding for our Russian
hostess, who had been through so much
so bravely. I have said that the Far
North makes strong man, and breaks
weakling. That applies evidently. to
women as well. Mrs. johnson was no
weakling
That night We remained at the station
with the Johnsons as Carl and I had
planned to begin our check-up of the
goods and barter on hand early the fol-
lowing morning. This had to be done as
exped1tiously as possible, so that all
would be in readiness for our departure
as soon as the schooner succeeded I'm
Earring loose from the ice and working
her way through leads to the north
end of Kaluchin Bay.
Accordingly the whole household rose
betimes: the mate returning across the
ice TO the schooner, and Johnsons and
l beginning our work the minute break
fast YVES out of the way.
BY the middle of the morning the
news Of our arrival had spread through
all the nearby Chukchi villages, by
some mysterious means such news has
OF travelling up there, and the station
was promptly besieged by crowds of
natives. They not only came to call:
they settled down for a friendly all
day visit, prepared to drink tea cere-
moniously with us, hear any news of the
outside world we cared TO tell and make
a prohtaole deal or two in the way of
barter.
We were far too busy to stop and nav
much attention to their wants, but thew
accepted that placidly. Some sat down
in rows TO watch our activities, while
others roamed about the station like
curious children, getting In our and
each others way and generally manag-
ing to be under foot most of the day.
The following day we finished our
work at the Kaluchin Station, finding
everything In excellent shape, much to
Johnson's delight. BY midday the
schooner had succeeded in working
through ice-leads around to the north
ern end OF the bay, and arrived off the
station early in the afternoon.
Mrs. johnson. Carl and the baby
were moved aboard. and, at Mrs. John
sons request, we found room for little
native boy named Attua, who was of
either Chuvane or Yukaghire stock. and
who acted as nurse to the small Carl, jr.
Attua's parents and all his near rela-
tives had been killed in some ARRAY
after the Russian revolution. when the
reindeer herds of their tribe had been
driven off by Bolshevik agents. Some
how the youngster had drifted down to
our Kaluchin Station, where-finding
him willing and gentlc-Mrs. johnson
had pressed him into service as a sort
Of mothers helper"
From that time--so johnson told me
--Attua was the envy of all the Chuk-
chi children for miles around. The ma
tives there had never seen a white child
before, and they had been coming, by
whole families, from long distances, ever
since little Carl's birth, just to get a
look at the white traders baby. Most
OF them wanted to hold him, and when
this was not permitted they would beg
earnestly TO be allowed Just to touch
him. Even this was not very practi.
cable or pleasing to the mother. so she
effected compromise by holding up
her son to be viewed by the curious
from a respectful distanee.