I am convinced that the Alaskans, whether they realize it or not, are
poetic and imaginative. All over the country one finds the quaintest of
names that have been bestowed upon the various localities by some
follower of the trail, prospector, or other traveler. In one's
journeyings he will come upon settlements bearing such names as Sunset,
Paystreak, Anchorage and Fortymile. There are also the "Isles of God's
Mercy" where Henry Hudson found shelter on his last voyage, "Anxiety
Point" and "Return Reef" of Sir John Franklin, that Sir Galahad of
explorers whose Eskimo name means "the man who does not molest our
women." In Bank's Land is "Mercy Bay" and there is also the "Thank God"
harbor so named by poor Hall on the _Polaris_.
So, if one could but gather them together, the poems and songs and
pretty names of Alaska, each a part of her real history, it might make
a column about three miles long, but--it would be mighty interesting
reading!
One has but to glance at the map to see the similarity of the Alaskan
coast to that of Norway. Will not the day come when her fiords and
mountains, her Northern Lights and Midnight Sun will be as famed in
song and story as those of Norway? Surely it will!
CONCLUSION
In concluding this volume I am reminded of two stories, both of which
seem applicable to the subject. One of the quaintest and most
interesting characters I ever ran across was a French-Canadian, Captain
of one of the boats which plied the Yukon during the summer and in the
winter stayed at St. Michael. One day the river, or the boat, or both,
behaved badly. So he sang out:
"T'row over the anch'!"
"But, Capitaine," expostulated a sailor, "ze anch' she have no chain on
her!"
The Captain glared at him wrathfully.
"T'row her over any way!" he bawled. "She may help some!"
The second story concerns this same gentleman. When the mail service
was established at St. Michael he was told that all he had to do if he
wanted a letter was to go up to the window and ask for it. Never having
had a letter he thought he would like the experience. So he went and
demanded one. The postmaster asked his name.
"Pièrre LeGros," he said.
"How do you spell it?" asked the man inside.
This was a poser. Pièrre's knowledge did not extend to orthography. But
he was nothing if not adaptable. He eyed the man balefully for a moment
and the expression on his face was worth a fortune. It changed slowly
from interest to scorn. He straightened himself up as proudly as a king
and remarked without the slightest trace of temper:
"Vell,--eef you no can spell Pièrre LeGros zen I zink yo' better sell
your damn' post-of_fees_!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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