AND KAYAK 149 



into the water. Exactly what was in his mind 

 we never knew. One thing is certain he saw 

 the danger. If both stayed upon the ice it 

 would upset and both would be in the water ; 

 Jakko could swim a little, but Rena had never 

 learnt a stroke. Did Jakko think that he could 

 reach the safety of the big icefield by swim- 

 ming, or did he say in his mind, "Better one 

 to be drowned than both ? ' : I do not know : 

 all that Rena could say was that he felt the 

 ice-pan rolling over ; he heard the shout of 

 " Stay where you are," and saw his brother 

 leap into the waves. And that was all. The 

 raft of ice righted itself with a lurch that 

 nearly flung him off ; but he managed to keep 

 his hold, and paddled frantically to and fro 

 in a vain search for his brother. Poor Rena 

 paddled and paddled and paddled until his 

 hands were stiff and his brain reeled, but never 

 a sight did he see of Jakko. Jakko was gone, 

 sunk like a stone in the freezing water ; and 

 hours after the disaster Rena gave up the 

 search, and with his eyes blinded with tears 

 he scrambled from his frail island on to the 

 safe ice field, flung himself on the sled, and 

 let the dogs take him home. 



That is the true story of two Eskimo boys 

 that I knew, Jakko and Rena Mellik ; and 

 it seems to me that Jakko was a real hero, 



