The Bungalow Boys Along the Yukon, Page 4

  CHAPTER IV.

  SANDY FINDS A MASCOT.

  Northward, along the rugged, rock-bound Alaskan coast, the good ship_Northerner_ plowed her way. The boys by this time had become quiteused to life on board the staunch craft and every day found somethingnew to rouse their interest and enthusiasm. Among the equipment lefton the craft when she had been chartered by her present navigators wasa wireless outfit.

  Mr. MacKenzie, the second officer, could work this, and the boyswhiled away some of their time in studying the use of the apparatus.As they all knew something of telegraphy they speedily became quiteproficient, considering the short time they had to pick up a knowledgeof the wireless operator's methods.

  One bright noonday the vessel's course was changed and she nosed herway into the entrance of that great indentation of the coast known asResurrection Bay. Her destination was the town of Seward, which liesat the head of the harbor. The boys were all excitement as they passedthe rugged rocks at the bay's mouth and saw hundreds of sea lionscrawling on them like huge slugs, or else plunging into the waterafter fish. As the _Northerner's_ whistle gave a shrill blast, theseals set up an answering shout, barking and leaping from the rocks inhosts.

  The purpose of the stop at Seward was to purchase some supplies whichhad been overlooked in the haste with which the departure from Seattlehad been made. Some minor repairs to the machinery, too, werenecessary, and it was decided to stop over two days. The boys foundplenty to interest them. They wrote voluminous letters and sent themhome, as well as post cards, which were readily obtained even in thatout-of-the-way corner of the world.

  The second morning of their stay, while Tom and Jack remained on boardwriting letters, Sandy elected to go ashore in one of the small boats.He returned just before dinner time. As he approached the ship,pulling laboriously at the oars, it was seen that some object wasbeing towed astern.

  "Hey! what's your souvenir?" hailed Tom, with a grin. "Looks like alog."

  "We're not hard up for firewood," added Jack.

  "Whist!" exclaimed the Scotch youth, with a knowing look. "Bide a weeand be more respectful."

  He shipped his oars and turned his face up toward his two companions,who stood leaning over the rail good-naturedly chaffing him.

  "If you've naething else to do, you may rig a block and tackle, thenoo," said he.

  "What for? To hoist that old saw-log on board?" disrespectfullyinquired Tom.

  "It's nae a saw-log," protested Sandy with spirit.

  "Then what on earth is it?" demanded Jack.

  "It's an idol."

  "An idol!" echoed both boys in a breath.

  "Aye, an idol, or rather a 'totem,' is what they call 'em up here. Nohome is complete without one."

  Jack broke into a laugh.

  "Why, you bonehead, there's nothing sacred about a totem. They'resimply family records, that's all. Something like the crests that ournewly rich keep librarians so busy digging up."

  Sandy looked blank.

  "And that's all they are?" he questioned doubtingly.

  "That's all. The natives used to set them up outside their houses likedoor-plates to show who lived within. For instance, John Smith Aleutwould be known by a seagull's head at the top of his totem pole, whileon the stalk of the thing would be carved some of his big stunts andthose of his ancestors."

  With a disgusted look, Sandy pulled out his knife. He bent over thetow-rope, ready to cut loose the bulky object bobbing about astern.But Tom checked him.

  "What are you up to now?"

  "Hoot, mon! I've been stung by an innocent native. The gloomeroon thatsold me yon totem told me that it was a sacred idol. That's why Ibought it. Whist! back she goes, and I paid five dollars of my goodmoney for it!"

  "Hold on a minute!" cried Tom checking him. "Maybe we have found amascot after all."

  "Yes," declared Jack, who had been leaning over the rail closelyscanning the figure of the totem as it bobbed about alongside the_Northerner_, "it looks as if it were the figure of some old gent ofthese parts. Maybe the old fellow is the 'Good Genius of the WhiteNorth.'"

  "Anyhow, that's a good name for him," agreed Tom. "Come on, fellows,let's rig a block and tackle and get him on board."

  The three boys set about preparing to hoist the "Genius of the WhiteNorth" on board. It was a crudely carved figure about seven feet inheight. A fierce-looking face with big chunks of wood inserted forteeth and a large, round stomach were the chief characteristics of thetotem, which was about two feet wide and tapered toward thegrotesquely small feet. Carved on the body was what appeared to bemeant for a whale or a seal hunt. The figure had once been brightlydaubed with red, yellow, black and white, but these colors were fadednow.

  "Well, he was a beauty, whoever he was," declared Tom, when the boyshad hoisted the dripping figure on deck.

  "Looks like an 'ad' for a dentist, with those teeth of his," laughedJack.

  "That is meant for a good-natured grin," maintained Sandy, confrontinghis purchase critically.

  "Appears more as if he was getting ready to tackle a whale steak orsomething of that kind," declared Tom.

  "I guess it will bring good luck," went on Sandy, poking his prize inthe ribs. "The native told me that if you kept it handy, say in yourpocket, you'd have good luck all the time. Never go hungry or getsick."

  "That alone is worth the price of admission," chuckled Jackskeptically. "How does it work?"

  "You just stick it up in front of your house, and as long as it isplanted there and kept painted it'll stay on the job," was Sandy'sglowing reply.

  "That's simple," said Tom, "about as cheap a way of maintaining amascot as you could find."

  At this point Mr. Dacre, who had been busy below consulting with theengineering force, came on deck. A smile overspread his face as he sawthe totem.

  "Well, well. You young men are certainly acquiring the rudiments of amuseum," he said amusedly. "Who is the owner of the gentleman with the'bowsprit' teeth?"

  Sandy proudly proclaimed his ownership and the manner in which he hadcome by it. Mr. Dacre declared that he had not been unduly cheatedexcept in the declaration of the native that the totem possessed magicpowers.

  "The use of the totem pole may fitly be termed 'Alaskan heraldry,'"said he. "It acts as the shield of the various tribes or families.Among the totems of the Haidas, to mention only one tribe, theinsignias of the eagle, whale, crow, wolf and bear are found. Toanyone who can decipher it, the totem pole in front of a house forms ahistory of the family within.

  "The figure at the top may sometimes be a rude portrait, as in thecase of Sandy's old gentleman, or it may be any symbol similar tothose I have mentioned. The carvings on the pole usually representtraditional events connected with the history of the tribe.

  "According to ethnologists, the totem was first adopted to distinguishthe four social clans into which the Alaskan Indians were formerlydivided, namely, the Kishpootwadda, the Lacheboo, the Canadda and theLackshkeak. The Kishpootwadda symbolically were represented by thefish-back whale on the sea, the grizzly bear on land, the grouse inthe air and the sun and stars in the heavens.

  "The Canadda tribes adopted the frog, raven, starfish and bull's-head.The wolf, heron and grizzly proclaimed the Lacheboo, and theLackshkeaks selected the eagle, beaver and halibut. Members of a clan,though living hundreds of miles apart, are recognized as bloodrelations by means of their totems.

  "According to Indian legends, in the dim past they lived in abeautiful land where there was unlimited game and fish. The creatureson the totem poles were the divinities of this mystic land, just asthe ibis and the cat are held sacred in Egyptian lore.

  "Families having the same crest may not intermarry. A Frog may notmarry a Frog, or an Eagle an Eagle. A young Lochinvar of the Frogfamily may woo and win,--sometimes with a club,--a maiden of the Whalefamily. But it would be considered very bad form for a Wolf and anEagle to marry, as both are creatures of prey.

  "Like most other races, the Alaskan Indians have a 'bogym
an' storywith which to frighten naughty children. In a northern village thereis a totem pole surmounted by the whitened face of a Caucasian,flanked on each side by the figure of a child wearing a tall hat. Thestory is that long, long ago a chief's wife left a temporary summercamp. Taking her two children with her she crossed a channel in abidarka or native canoe, and landed on an island where she gatheredspruce boughs for holding salmon eggs.

  "Before she entered the woods, she drew the canoe up on the beach andtold the children to stay right by it. When she came back the childrenhad vanished. She called and called, but in vain. From the woods cameback the mocking voices of crows and that was all. In despair shereturned to the camp and told her story. The Shaman, or medicine manof the tribe, brewed potions and wrought spells and found out that awhite man had stolen the children and that they had been taken toAmerica to wear tall hats and forget their tribe. The white man issupposed still to haunt the woods and waters looking for disobedientchildren, and if the story is doubted, there is the totem pole to showthe recorded history of the fate of the two youngsters in the dimpast. And that, young gentlemen, will conclude what I'm afraid hasbeen a tedious lecture on totem poles."

  But the interested faces of the boys showed that they had appreciatedMr. Dacre's little talk, and the figure of the old gentleman with theprominent teeth took on a new interest in their eyes.

  "That Indian told me that if you poured oil on this totem when youwere going fishing, your boat would go where you wanted to go and makeno trouble for you," said Sandy.

  "Well, he certainly gave you your five dollars' worth," smiled Mr.Dacre.

  At five o'clock that night the _Northerner's_ anchor rumbled home. Shewas off once more. In the extreme bow of the vessel, erect and boldlyfacing the north, was Sandy's totem. Its head glistened with oil.Although rather dubious as to whether it was the right brand, the boyshad used kerosene for the baptism. But so far as the totem displayedhis feelings, he had no preference in the matter!