500 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT (ETH, ANN. 18 
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-cht’-gik 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 fear, 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-chi/-gik sat in the stern with 
the broad-blade steering paddle. They had gone only a short distance 
when a wild goose came flying by, and the three brothers strained their 
arms in trying to equal the bird in swiftness, but in vain. Suddenly 
Ak’-chik-chi’-gtik 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-chi/-gik 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: ‘ Now I will not be forgotten, for the people who come after 
us will point out this rock and remember my name;” and this is true, 
for the villagers say that the rock lies there until this day and Ak’-chik- 
chiv-gtik’s name is not forgotten. 
