“It is true, sir, as you say, that I am ignorant of the cruising-ground,” replied Jalap Coombs, “but I’d be a poor sailor-man ef with chart and compass I couldn’t make out to lay a course. Also, I’ve heerd of a party as expects to start from here on a visit to all the up-river trading-stations as soon as the season for sledge navigation opens, and I reckon there wouldn’t be no difficulty about me shipping with them as extry hand.
“As for driving dogs, my old friend Kite Roberson useter say that a man can l’arn any trade ef he has to. At the same time I’m considerable handy with both belaying-pins and rope-ends, which, I take it, would be jest as improving to the usefulness of dogs as to a crew of swabs. When it comes to getting the bearings of the port in which the lads are laid by for the winter, that would seem to be a case of the plainest kind of sailing. They’re bound to be friz in afore long, even ef their old kettle doesn’t break down and leave ’em stranded, which it’s likely it will. Waal, then, I strikes across country from here to the river, and says to the natyves what lives on its banks: ‘Has sich and sich a steamer gone up stream?’ says I; which ef they answers si, or oui, or ja, or whatever stands for yes in their lingo, I likewise goes on up. Ef they shakes their heads, which is ‘No’ the world over, then I naturally goes down, and keeps on down till I meets her.”
In spite of his present pain and mental distress Mr. Ryder could not help smiling at the readiness with which the simple-minded sailor thus disposed of difficulties that to most people would appear insurmountable. “But what shall we do with the Philomel?” he asked, after a few moments’ consideration.
“Send her back to Oonalaska in charge of the wracked whaling cap’n what has just come in on the Bear. He’ll take her and be glad of the job, for I’ve already sounded him.”
The more Mr. Ryder thought over the plan thus proposed by the man who had already proved himself so capable, so loyal, and so stanch a friend of the lost boys, the more favorably he was inclined towards it, and at length he decided to accept the mate’s proffered services. So with many parting injunctions, and leaving with him a sum of money sufficient to defray his share of expenses in the proposed expedition, Phil’s father sailed away on the Bear in search of the medical aid that should enable him to return a few months later, and undertake, in company with his boy, a long-cherished scheme of exploration among the fabled gold-fields of the interior.
Some six weeks later Jalap Coombs also set forth from St. Michaels in company with two white men, both of whom expressed an ardent admiration for Phil Ryder, and great joy at the prospect of assisting in his rescue from the wiles of the unprincipled trader who had lured him away. Under their direction the confiding sailor invested the entire sum left him by Mr. Ryder in dogs, sledges, and provisions. He was amazed at the exorbitant prices charged him for these things, and was still more so to discover, when a few days out from the fort, that with all his outlay he was credited with but one team and a single sledge-load of provisions, which he soon found himself exchanging for fish with which to feed his dogs.
Furthermore, as he had been unable to master the art of dog-driving, his obliging friends had engaged for him an Indian, who began to demand his wages at the end of the first week, refused to work unless he was paid in advance, and persisted in his demands with such insolence that the mate finally felt himself obliged to administer what he called a dose of belaying-pins and rope-ends. The effect of this was a future obedience to orders, accompanied by a sullen hatred, which Jalap’s white companions seemed to take a malicious delight in encouraging.
This sledge party went north along the coast from St. Michaels to the mouth of the Unalaklik River, and followed up that stream for several days. Then, crossing a divide, they struck the Yukon at a point near Nulato. Here they were told that a steamer, supposed to be the Chimo, had passed on her way up the river several days before the close of navigation.
By this time the relations between poor Jalap and his companions had become so very unpleasant that he had hoped for an excuse to leave them, and go down the river from Nulato. As it was, he now felt obliged to continue in their company until the Chimo should be overtaken.
At old Fort Adams, after conferring with the natives, his fellow-travellers informed him that the steamer was frozen in about one day’s march above that place, and with a lighter heart than he had known since beginning the weary journey, he again set forth with them, filled with eager anticipations. When just at dusk of that same day they discovered a steamer snugly moored to the bank, he read her name with a sinking heart, for, instead of Chimo, it was St. Michaels, which he knew to be the name of a boat belonging to a Catholic mission on the lower river. Moreover, she was boarded up and deserted.