Beadle's Boy's Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure, No. 37 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee - - set upon his 2 | Old Tar Knuckle and Old Tar Knuckle AND HIS BOY CHUMS; The Monsters of the Esquimaux Border. A Tale of Perilous Adventure on our New Coast. BY ROGER STARBUCK. CHAPTER I. ASHORE AMONG THE ESQUIMAUX, MiIpnNIGHT on the Kamtschatka Sea, Off our wild, new coast of “ Russian America,” just north of Norton’s Sound, a lurid glare shot up through the darkness. It came from the chimney of the old whaler Beacon’s try works, for the crew were now try- ing out a whale which had lately been captured. Wild, wuncouth-looking Kanakas, anilla Islanders, Chinamen, etc., here mingled and worked side by side with Americans from New London and Nantucket, Among them was Charley Nye—the son of the owner of the vessel—a youth of sixteen, with light-brown bair, blue eyes and a slender form, which seemed hardly fitted for the trials and exposurés of a whaler’s life. Now he. was turniag the wheel of the machine, which, aboard a whaler, is used for cutting.up the ‘‘horse pieces,” or pieces of blubber. As fast as these were cut by the sharp knife of the machine, they would drop into a tub, from which, with an instrument having two sharp prongs, they were picked up by a barpooner standing in front of the os works, and tossed into the try-pot, where, heated by the fire underneath the pot, they would simmer and boil until all the oil they contained was ex- tracte] from them. Another man, provided with a long ladle, stood ready to dip up this oil from the pot, and pour it into a large funnel thrust into the bung-hole of a cask. The perspiration streamed down Charley’s face. e looked tired and worn, but he worked bravely on. At sea, among the foremast hands of a ship of this kind, the democratic principle prevails. ‘* Workee lively there, Nye! Come! lookee sharp!” cried Yonkitt, an uimaux youth of nineteen, who, five years before, had left his native shores aboard a whaler, and had been a sailor ever since. He had a round, fat face, little black eyes, and waddled like a duck when he walked. He was at present feeding the machine at which Charley toiled—that is to say, he slipped the pieces of blubber under the knife which was , used to cut, or rather to mince, them. ‘*Come and ‘spell’ me, Yonkict. I'll feed and you can turn,” suggested Charley. ““Hey-yaw! all rightee!” answered Yonkitt. “ Come, —_ her going dere! Nye! keep her going !’ cried the h ner, with the whaling- ork, He was a , Sinewy native of New Zealand, with flerce, hawk-like eyes, and huge brass rings in his ears. As Nye surrendered the wheel of the machine to Yonkitt, and hurried over the oil-spattered deck to take the place he had vacated, a dizziness came over him, his foot slipped, and he fell violently st the New Zealander, who was thus shoved against the heated try-works. Uttering a fierce ory. of rage, the quick-tem- pered native pees the boy as he rose. This enraged Charley, who at once planted his fist _ between the fellow’s eyes. A yell like ademon’s escaped the Zealander. Seizing Nye by his waistband with one hand, by his collar with the other, he, by a single effort of strength, raised the boy on high, and was actually about to fling him headlong into the try-pot full of boiiing oil, when he was suddenly tripped up, and the lad, pulled from — by a powerful hand, was eet. His rescuer was Tom Hasler—a strong young sort of be ine ap rough but kind youth who had constituted himself Nye’s champion and chum, almost from the moment he first came aboard the whaler. “You infernal biackskin!”’ cried Hasler, * don’t you ever put your hands on him again!” The native sprung, scowling, to his feet. Hoe at Tom, and a -and-tumble’ fight elie advantage of the New - Zealander’s long i Tom heal big head under | le! _ ais arm, and was “ punching” him vigorously | A ! when the second mate interfered, and put an > end to to the combat. Charley again took his place at the mincing machine, but his brain seemed to spin round and round, and he was glad enough when, a few minutes later, the other watch was called, and the one he belonged to was thus enabled to go below. The overworked boy was soon ina high fever. For several days he remained in this state— days of great suspense and anxiety to the captain, especially as it was necessary to push on to the North Grounds. Down in bis cabin, the skipper reflected over the situation. ‘* Yes,” he said to himself, ‘it may kill the boy, such as he is, if we take him further. I will therefore leave him ashore on the coast, until I return. Tom Hasler, Yonkitt, the Esquimaux, and Nick Knuckle—who, from his age and ex- perience, will be useful company—shall be left with bim. There are plenty of spare planks aboard. With these { will get the carpenter to knock up a comfortable little dwelling for the boy and his companions, on the coast. There he can rest and recruit his strength, and can also amuse himself by visiting the Esquimaux.. In six or eight weeks, at the furthest, I will return for him, Itis now the middle of August, and as winterin these high latitudes, begins before September is gone, I must be back here by the middle of October, at least.” He went on deck, and summoned his fourth mates Nick Knuckle, to whom he disclosed his plan. Nick Knuckie was an old seaman--a man of sixty-five...He had a litle, round bullet head, ears out of all proportion, and a wide mouth, which, stretching still wider when he smiled, had the appearance of dividing his face into two parts. His gray hair was twisted into a ballon each side of his temples and made fast with pieces of spun-yarn. e bad very broad shoulders, narrow hips, was strong and muscu- lar, and was almost as active as a young man. “‘T think it’]] do the youngster good, sir. It’ll be a divarsion for him and for t’others, too, for that matter,’” added Knuckle, smoothing both posteriors with his borny palms. “Tt will only be for six or eight weeks, Knuckle, you know.” ‘Ay, ay, sir, and 1 ventur’ to remark that revision enough to last us for that same time be eft in the house,” suggested Khuckle, smacking his lips. ‘* Of course,” ‘T would further ventur’ to remark that a hes Bro be previded with the strengtbenin’ 00 ‘‘ Ay, Knuckle, for the boy in case of sick- ness.” ‘For the boy and the rest of us, too.” ve | ee 2 you were a true Son of Temper- ance, Knuckle.” ‘1m thatsame when I can’t get any grog.” ‘‘ Well, Knuckle, [ will leave a little grog, but you must not drink more than one gilla day. I don’t want you to get drunk.” ‘““T could take a pint without gettin’ drunk, for that matter,” averred the old salt. . A few days later, by which time Nye had convalesced from bis illness, the carpenter was sent ashore with his tools, and with some men to assist him in putting up a habitation for the little party to be Jeft on the coast. Timber enough for that pos was taken to land, and in the course of a week a small but strong wooden building, about twelve feet high, and containing three rooms, was erected. It was provided with a stove, fuel, provisions, blankets, beds, and many other useful things, among which were several lanterns, four guns, a revolver, etc., etc. A spare whale-boat, with whaling gear, was also brought ashore, and Knuckle, discovering a hollow in a rock, which would make for it an excellent boat-house, had it at once safely stowed. ' The dwelling, which was about twenty yards from the beach, was made of plank, with stri of tarred cloth nailed both on the inner and the outer sides of the boards. It contained a door and two small windows, while a stove-pipe, in lieu of a chimney, projected through a hole in the roof. As the house stood near the base of a high rocky elevation, Knuckle, if necessary, could at an time put up on its summit a signal-staff, wit which he was provid A good place being thus provided for their re- ception, Cha rley N ye and his companions were a on this part of the coast of Russian America—tbeir location being about fifty miles to the north of Norton’s Sound. Standing upon the rock, after they had bidden His Boy Chums. fi flashed upon the back an Seaham ee. WEN their shipmates adieu, tho little party saw the receding ship disappear in the mist amoug the floes on the water to the north-west of their position. They then entered their dwelling and roceeded to arrange things to their satisfaction. ‘irst a fire was made in the stove by old Knuckle, who put on a kettle of water for the pape of preparing coffee. Three or four arrels of water had been conveyed tothe build- ing from the ship; when this supply should be exhausted, more could be obtained by melting snow. The provisions, consisting of four hams, a barrel of salt junk, half a cask of sea biscuits, some canned tomatoes, a bag of salt, a jug of molasses, a few pounds of sugar, about twenty pounds of flour and a basket of potatoes, wero placed in the back room, which was the smaller of the three. There, in a rude cupboard, the old sailor deposited a large bottle of rum which the captain bad intrusted to his care. ‘* Honesty is honesty,” he muttered. ‘‘Tll save that for the lad, in case of sickness. But, blast me, if I wouldn’t like some of it—all of it, for that matter,” he added, sympathetically. After their first frugal dinner ashore, con- sisting of sea biscuits, canned tomatoes and coffee, Yonkitt went off to visit some of bis countrymen, the Esquimaux, Not long after the door opened and he entered, followed by about a dozen of these people. They were dressed in huge bearskin trowsers, sealskin boots of enormous size, and wore mon- strous hats of dogskin, Their dusky yellowish faces shone asif greased, and their little black eyes twinkled like beads.. Among them was a woman, who carried a Kev fh with a face as round as a ball, in one side of her huge left boot. They all made a great clamor, every tongue going at a rapid rate. “What do they say, Yonkitt?”’ Knuckle. ‘* They ask for biscuit and molasses,” was the inquired reply. ‘*Tell them we can’t spare anv; but, belay there a bit, Yonkitt,” ordered Knuckle, “ Tl give some treacle to the little one in the lady’s boot. Youngsters like that take wonderful to merlasses, and the way this babe’s mouth is openin’ and shuttin’ and the way it’s a-cryin’ over the edge of that boot looks as if it knowed what I was talkin’ about.” The old tar procured a large tablespoonful of molasses, which he poured down the throat of the Esquimaux babe, which at once stopped cry- ing, the wet little eyes rolling in its head with rapture as it tasted the sweet extract. he Esquimaux mother looked grateful, and said something to Knuckle. ‘‘ She is thanking you,” interpreted Yonkitt. “Hi, yaw! parfectly welcome!” responded Knuckle, bowing to the woman, and twisting his mouth into a smile. Again the female spoke, ‘‘ What does she say, Yonkitt?” ‘‘She say you bave very big mouth,” ‘‘ She might have spared herself the trouble, for that matter,” said Knuckle. As he spoke he pulled a small ball of wax from his pocket, aud showed it to the baby. It was clear and transparent, and the little one held out its tiny bands toward it. Knuckle kept this wax for the strings he used to mend his shoes. ‘Can't give it to you, but you may have it a minute to play with,” he said to the child. ‘The latter took it, when, to the surprise of Knuckle, the Esquimaux mother seized it, trans- ferred it to her mouth, and swallowed it at one ulp! “Halloa! belay there!” cried the old tar, in dismay. ‘‘ Why, blast my eyes! may your stomach be etarnally waxed for swallowing such a pill as that. It’s gone!—I’ll never see it again!” added the old seaman, mournfully. At that moment Charley Nye, who had raised the window, gave a shout, CHAPTER II. THE WHALE HUNT. ‘THERE blows! there blows!” cried the boy— wk big bowhead whale, rolling along past the shore.” ‘Eels and atppere What a hum back!” exclaimed Knuckle, as he and ler sprung to the window. A jiving oil-cask!’ declared Hasler, with perry pace ee bi: “There gp aree On win - st t for ice!” chimed in Yonkitt, as the whale, ‘‘ milling,” (turning off), headed for a floe not far pe ght da 3 lied It was a clear, br and sun 7 | A d elasetan, of the whale, as he leisurely scooped up the on kis om Has- i'cO ee a ——- 4 Eomilchbooks