Kalitan, Our Little Alaskan CousinNixon-Roulet, Mary F.
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Kalitan, Our Little Alaskan Cousin
Nixon-Roulet, Mary F.
Children -- Alaska -- Juvenile literature
Ted by this time was tired of his own unwonted silence, and he came up
to Kalitan, holding out his hand.
"My name is Ted Strong," he said, genially, grinning cheerfully at the
young Alaskan. "I say this is a jolly place. I wish you would teach me
to fish in a snow-hole. It must be great fun. I like you; let's be
friends!" Kalitan took the boy's hand in his own rough one.
"Mahsie" (thank you), he said, a sudden quick smile sweeping his dark
face like a fleeting sunbeam, but disappearing as quickly, leaving it
grave again. "Olo?" (hungry).
"Yes," said Mr. Strong, "hungry and cold."
"Camp," said Kalitan, preparing to lead the way, with the hospitality of
his tribe, for the Thlinkits are always ready to share food and fire
with any stranger. The two boys strode off together, and Mr. Strong
could scarcely help smiling at the contrast between them.
Ted was the taller, but slim even in the furs which almost smothered
him, leaving only his bright face exposed to the wind and weather. His
hair was a tangle of yellow curls which no parting could ever affect,
for it stood straight up from his forehead like a golden fleece; his
mother called it his aureole. His skin was fair as a girl's, and his
eyes as big and blue as a young Viking's; but the Indian boy's locks
were black as ink, his skin was swarthy, his eyes small and dark, and
his features that strange mixture of the Indian, the Esquimo, and the
Japanese which we often see in the best of our Alaskan cousins.
Boys, however, are boys all the world over, and friendly animals, and
Ted was soon chattering away to his newly found friend as if he had
known him all his life.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Kalitan," was the answer. "They call me Kalitan Tenas;[1] my father was
Tyee."
"Where is he?" asked Ted. He wanted to see an Indian chief.
"Dead," said Kalitan, briefly.
"I'm sorry," said Ted. He adored his own father, and felt it was hard on
a boy not to have one.
"He was killed," said Kalitan, "but we had blood-money from them," he
added, sternly.
"What's that?" asked Ted, curiously.
"Long time ago, when one man kill another, his clan must pay
with a life. One must be found from his tribe to cry,
'O-o-o-o-o-a-ha-a-ich-klu-kuk-ich-klu-kuk'" (ready to die, ready to
die). His voice wailed out the mournful chant, which was weird and
solemn and almost made Ted shiver. "But now," the boy went on, "Boston
men" (Americans) "do not like the blood-tax, so the murderer pays money
instead. We got many blankets and baskets and moneys for Kalitan Tyee.
He great chief."
"Do you live here?" asked Ted.
"No, live on island out there." Kalitan waved his hand seaward. "Come to
fish with my uncle, Klake Tyee. This good fishing-ground."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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