"Unookuk, Nulato name. My father big Nulato Shamán. Him killed, mother killed, everybody killed in Koyukuk massacre. They forget kill me. Me kid. Russians find Unookuk in big wood. Russians give food. I stay with Russians—them call Unookuk 'Kurilla.' Dall call Unookuk 'Kurilla.'"
"Dall—Dall," said the Colonel to the Boy; "was that the name of the explorer fella—"
Fortunately the Boy was saved from need to answer.
"First white man go down Yukon to the sea," said Kurilla with pride. "Me Dall's guide."
"Oh, wrote a book, didn't he? Name's familiar somehow," said the Colonel.
Kurilla bore him out.
"Mr. Dall great man. Thirty year he first come up here with Survey people. Make big overland tel-ee-grab."
"Of course. I've heard about that." The Colonel turned to the Boy. "It was just before the Russians sold out. And when a lot of exploring and surveying and pole-planting was done here and in Siberia, the Atlantic cable was laid and knocked the overland scheme sky-high."
Kurilla gravely verified these facts.
"And me, Dall's chief guide. Me with Dall when he make portage from Unalaklik to Kaltag. He see the Yukon first time. He run down to be first on the ice. Dall and the coast natives stare, like so"—Kurilla made a wild-eyed, ludicrous face—"and they say: 'It is not a river—it is another sea!'"