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 quite
used to life on board the staunch craft and every day found something
new to rouse their interest and enthusiasm. Among the equipment left
on the craft when she had been chartered by her present navigators was
a wireless outfit.
Mr. MacKenzie, the second officer, could work this, and the boys
whiled away some of their time in studying the use of the apparatus.
As they all knew something of telegraphy they speedily became quite
proficient, considering the short time they had to pick up a knowledge
of the wireless operator's methods.
One bright noonday the vessel's course was changed and she nosed her
way into the entrance of that great indentation of the coast known as
Resurrection Bay. Her destination was the town of Seward, which lies
at the head of the harbor. The boys were all excitement as they passed
the rugged rocks at the bay's mouth and saw hundreds of sea lions
crawling on them like huge slugs, or else plunging into the water
after fish. As the _Northerner's_ whistle gave a shrill blast, the
seals set up an answering shout, barking and leaping from the rocks in
hosts.
The purpose of the stop at Seward was to purchase some supplies which
had been overlooked in the haste with which the departure from Seattle
had been made. Some minor repairs to the machinery, too, were
necessary, and it was decided to stop over two days. The boys found
plenty to interest them. They wrote voluminous letters and sent them
home, as well as post cards, which were readily obtained even in that
out-of-the-way corner of the world.
The second morning of their stay, while Tom and Jack remained on board
writing 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 was
being towed astern.
"Hey! what's your souvenir?" hailed Tom, with a grin. "Looks like a
log."
"We're not hard up for firewood," added Jack.
"Whist!" exclaimed the Scotch youth, with a knowing look. "Bide a wee
and 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, the
noo," said he.
"What for? To hoist that old saw-log on board?" disrespectfully
inquired 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. No
home is complete without one."
Jack broke into a laugh.
"Why, you bonehead, there's nothing sacred about a totem. They're
simply family records, that's all. Something like the crests that our
newly 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 like
door-plates to show who lived within. For instance, John Smith Aleut
would be known by a seagull's head at the top of his totem pole, while
on the stalk of the thing would be carved some of his big stunts and
those of his ancestors."
With a disgusted look, Sandy pulled out his knife. He bent over the
tow-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 that
sold me yon totem told me that it was a sacred idol. That's why I
bought it. Whist! back she goes, and I paid five dollars of my good
money for it!"
"Hold on a minute!" cried Tom checking him. "Maybe we have found a
mascot after all."
"Yes," declared Jack, who had been leaning over the rail closely
scanning the figure of the totem as it bobbed about alongside the
_Northerner_, "it looks as if it were the figure of some old gent of
these parts. Maybe the old fellow is the 'Good Genius of the White
North.'"
"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 White
North" on board. It was a crudely carved figure about seven feet in
height. A fierce-looking face with big chunks of wood inserted for
teeth and a large, round stomach were the chief characteristics of the
totem, which was about two feet wide and tapered toward the
grotesquely small feet. Carved on the body was what appeared to be
meant for a whale or a seal hunt. The figure had once been brightly
daubed with red, yellow, black and white, but these colors were faded
now.
"Well, he was a beauty, whoever he was," declared Tom, when the boys
had hoisted the dripping figure on deck.
"Looks like an 'ad' for a dentist, with those teeth of his," laughed
Jack.
"That is meant for a good-natured grin," maintained Sandy, confronting
his purchase critically.
"Appears more as if he was getting ready to tackle a whale steak or
something of that kind," declared Tom.
"I guess it will bring good luck," went on Sandy, poking his prize in
the ribs. "The native told me that if you kept it handy, say in your
pocket, you'd have good luck all the time. Never go hungry or get
sick."
"That alone is worth the price of admission," chuckled Jack
skeptically. "How does it work?"
"You just stick it up in front of your house, and as long as it is
planted there and kept painted it'll stay on the job," was Sandy's
glowing reply.
"That's simple," said Tom, "about as cheap a way of maintaining a
mascot as you could find."
At this point Mr. Dacre, who had been busy below consulting with the
engineering force, came on deck. A smile overspread his face as he saw
the totem.
"Well, well. You young men are certainly acquiring the rudiments of a
museum," 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 had
come by it. Mr. Dacre declared that he had not been unduly cheated
except in the declaration of the native that the totem possessed magic
powers.
"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, the
insignias of the eagle, whale, crow, wolf and bear are found. To
anyone who can decipher it, the totem pole in front of a house forms a
history of the family within.
"The figure at the top may sometimes be a rude portrait, as in the
case of Sandy's old gentleman, or it may be any symbol similar to
those I have mentioned. The carvings on the pole usually represent
traditional events connected with the history of the tribe.
"According to ethnologists, the totem was first adopted to distinguish
the four social clans into which the Alaskan Indians were formerly
divided, namely, the Kishpootwadda, the Lacheboo, the Canadda and the
Lackshkeak. The Kishpootwadda symbolically were represented by the
fish-back whale on the sea, the grizzly bear on land, the grouse in
the 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 the
Lackshkeaks selected the eagle, beaver and halibut. Members of a clan,
though living hundreds of miles apart, are recognized as blood
relations by means of their totems.
"According to Indian legends, in the dim past they lived in a
beautiful land where there was unlimited game and fish. The creatures
on the totem poles were the divinities of this mystic land, just as
the ibis and the cat are held sacred in Egyptian lore.
"Families having the same crest may not intermarry. A Frog may not
marry a Frog, or an Eagle an Eagle. A young Lochinvar of the Frog
family may woo and win,--sometimes with a club,--a maiden of the Whale
family. But it would be considered very bad form for a Wolf and an
Eagle to marry, as both are creatures of prey.
"Like most other races, the Alaskan Indians have a 'bogyman' story
with which to frighten naughty children. In a northern village there
is 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. The
story is that long, long ago a chief's wife left a temporary summer
camp. Taking her two children with her she crossed a channel in a
bidarka or native canoe, and landed on an island where she gathered
spruce boughs for holding salmon eggs.
"Before she entered the woods, she drew the canoe up on the beach and
told the children to stay right by it. When she came back the children
had vanished. She called and called, but in vain. From the woods came
back the mocking voices of crows and that was all. In despair she
returned to the camp and told her story. The Shaman, or medicine man
of the tribe, brewed potions and wrought spells and found out that a
white man had stolen the children and that they had been taken to
America to wear tall hats and forget their tribe. The white man is
supposed still to haunt the woods and waters looking for disobedient
children, and if the story is doubted, there is the totem pole to show
the recorded history of the fate of the two youngsters in the dim
past. And that, young gentlemen, will conclude what I'm afraid has
been a tedious lecture on totem poles."
But the interested faces of the boys showed that they had appreciated
Mr. Dacre's little talk, and the figure of the old gentleman with the
prominent teeth took on a new interest in their eyes.
"That Indian told me that if you poured oil on this totem when you
were going fishing, your boat would go where you wanted to go and make
no 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. She
was off once more. In the extreme bow of the vessel, erect and boldly
facing the north, was Sandy's totem. Its head glistened with oil.
Although rather dubious as to whether it was the right brand, the boys
had used kerosene for the baptism. But so far as the totem displayed
his feelings, he had no preference in the matter!