The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-08

out the extra pairs on the sharp
stones and river gravel. Without
hooded parkas they could never
make the trip back in November to
the high plateau where the wind
cut like edged knives.
Daily as Alan listened to the
gloomy Indians, the former warn
ings of Noel returned to his memory
to mock him. Napayo's tales Of
death and starvation when the carl
bou did not come haunted his wax
ing hours. They might heap up the
scaffolds with fish but without deer
they were beaten. They could never
reach the headwaters. And Heather
would suffer and freeze with them.
The thought made him desperate.
BY the last of August, the deer
skin bags had grown heavy with
flake gold, dust, and nuggets, but
the caribou did not come. In sink
ing their pits down to hardpan to
sluice the substrata where most of
the gold lay. they often unearthed
human skulls and scattered bones,
buried by the years of accretion of
sand and gravel washed down in
the spring freshets. The River of
Skulls was no miSnomer.
The second and third run of SAL
mon filed the fish caches, but the
men were in rags while Heather
laughed at the patches on her tat
tered whipcords, her extra skin
breecheS and faun-skin leggings.
1t was two weeks before the band
aged Rough could move around
much, but under the care and nurs-
ing of Alan and Heather, his wounds
closed and he was soon limping
down to the river shore to watch the
men at work. Then, one crisp twi-
light as Alan stood with his dog on
the gravel shore, watching a flock
Of snowy geese cross the rose
flushed sky, the swart features of
Napayo. who was near him, exhibit
ed a sudden interest in the water
line. He left Alan and Noel to fol-
low the water upstream, dipping his
fingers repeatedly as if picking
something from the surface. Pres
emily he returned on the run and
thrust his fingers before Alan's sur
prised eyes. They held long white
hairs.
The deer" cried the excited In
dian. THE deer are crossing above
here! The migration is comingl We
must start under the stars-when
the moon is upl Attikwok! Attik-
wok! The deer. the deer! They have
come at last!"
Noel started on headlong run for
the camp to break the news to Nc
Cord and Heather while Alan stared
incredulously at the hair in Ma
payo'S fingers.
"Yes. it's shed hair. Napayo!" he
exclaimed, excitedly. I've never
seen it before on the water, this
way! They're shedding their coats
and. swimming the river, leave this
loose hair in the water. But how
do you know it's the big migra-
tion?"
For the first time in weeks the
| Indians black eyes snapped. 1T is
always this way!" he said, shaking
with the desire to be off on the hunt
at once. THE first of the herd are
crossing, sometimes days before the
main herd. Soon, in one-two sleeps.
there will be much hair along the
water line of the river. We must
start tonight-Noel and l. When it
is light, you and the yellow-beard
must take the canoe to bring the
meat and skins. 1t may be far
where the migration is crossing"
Convinced that Napayo spoke as
hunter who knew, Alan hurried
up to the camp.
1--WE win!" he shouted, as he hur-
ried to join the three figures at the
fire. Were going to get out, John!
Well get the skins and meat and
make the headwaters! We all start
tonight on a deer hunt, Heather!"
ITO BE CONTINUED