500 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETH.ANN.IS 



in trying to persuade the mother to give up the idea of having water 

 brought at that time, but all to no purpose. 



Then Ak -chik-chiY-guk told the youngest brother to go and help his 

 sister, and the pair left the house. After some difficulty in getting to 

 the water hole they rested for a time, and then slowly filled the tub ; 

 when it was full they turned back and, with bowed heads, struggled 

 toward the shore in the face of the wind. As they were moving along 

 the path, they suddenly started back in tear, for, in place of the shore, 

 they saw the black, open water in a rapidly widening cracK where the 

 ice had broken and was drifting away from the land. Dropping the water 

 tub they ran wildly back and forth along the edge of the ice until they 

 were exhausted. After waiting for some time, the people in the house 

 became alarmed, and one of the brothers ran down to the shore where, 

 by the open water, he saw what had taken place. He hastened back 

 and told his family and, as soon as the storm ceased, the brothers 

 searched the sea as far as they could, but saw nothing of the missing 

 ones. Then one of the brothers traveled along the coast to the north 

 and another went to the south, informing the villagers they met of their 

 loss, but both returned without any tidings. 



Spring came, and their mother told the brothers that they must search 

 for their lost ones far along the coast, for it was likely that they had 

 been driven on shore somewhere. The brothers then set to work to 

 build a fine, large umiak; when it was finished they decided to try it 

 before they started on their voyage. Launching the umiak the three 

 younger brothers rowed while Ak -chik-chiY-guk sat in the stern with 

 the broad-blade steering paddle. They had gone only a short distance 

 when a wild goose came nyiug by, and the three brothers strained their 

 arms in trying to equal the bird in swiftness, but in vain. Suddenly 

 Ak -chik-chu -guk raised the broad paddle and the first stroke caused 

 the umiak to leap forward so suddenly that his brothers were thrown 

 from their seats into the bottom of the boat; after this, he bound them 

 firmly to their seats and had them take in their oars. Then, under his 

 strokes, the umiak darted through the water like an arrow, throwing a 

 streak of foam away on both sides. Very soon they were close along 

 side the goose, and the bird tried hard to escape from its strange com 

 panions, but was quickly passed by the umiak and left far behind. 



On another short preparatory trip they made along the coast they 

 landed near a great rock. Ak -chik-chiY-guk told his brothers to take 

 up some small drift logs on the beach and follow him; then, taking up 

 the rock, he placed it upon his shoulders and carried it up the shore, 

 although his feet sank deep in the earth at every step, so heavy was his 

 burden. At some distance from the water he stopped and had his 

 brothers form a platform of their logs, on which he placed the stone, 

 saying: &quot;Now I will not be forgotten, for the people who come after 

 us will point out this rock and remember my name;&quot; and this is true, 

 for the villagers say that the rock lies there until this day and Ak -chik- 

 eh;V-gfik s name is not forgotten. 



